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PRESENTED BY 



The Truth Condensed 

OR 

HELPS FOR YOUNG PREACHERS 



BY 
G. K. BERRY 

Editor Pacific Christian, Portland, Oregon. 







Copyright, 1907, by. 
G. K. Berry. 






MAR -6 1915 



©0 Mavtnn Uatl IB^rrg, 

TV/io was the Light of our Home^ the Pride of our 

Lives^ and the Joy of our Hearts from 

January 11^ i8go^ to December "/^ 

i8g8y a7zd who now awaits 

us in Heaven^ 



PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. 

For several years we have desired to publish a number of 
sermons in brief form for the benefit of young preachers, but 
have found it much easier to plan than to execute. When the 
busy pastor is through with the work which must be done he is 
inclined to spend the remainder of the time with his own family. 
Since our only child was taken from us we have found it neces- 
sary to keep the mind entirely occupied in order to bear up unde.r 
the unspeakable grief, and have therefore prepared these sermons 
for the press with the hope that they may be helpful to the 
true-hearted young men who are preaching the gospel to a dying 
world. 

Much has been said against plagiarism, but often those who 
claim to be the most original are the greatest borrowers. Credit 
should be given to those whose thoughts we use when it can well 
be done, but it is doubtful if any man has ever been able to do so 
at all times. It would be impossible for us to tell where we ob- 
tained all of the thoughts presented in this volume, but we freely 
admit that much help has come from reading and hearing the 
sermons of others. To a large extent we can make other people's 
thoughts our own. We ought to be perfectly honest and be ready 
to say both publicly and privately that we get thoughts wherever 
we can and use them to the best advantage possible. 

These sermons are sent out as helps, and any one is at liberty 
to use them in any way which is compatible with his own con- 
science. G. K. Berry. 
Ionia, Michigan, July 16, 1900. 

-1^ 



PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 

When the first edition was printed we thought that two thou- 
sand copies would Be equal to the demand, and therefore a 
second edition was not intended, but as the supply is nearly ex- 
hausted and there are still many calls for the book, we republish 
it, after slight revision, with the hope that it may help some who 
will read it to a better understanding of Christ and his Church 
long after our earthly labors shall have closed. 

The many words of commendation which have come to us, 
from both acquaintances and strangers, are very much appre- 
iated. G. K. Berry. 

Portland, Oregon, September 4, 1906. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

Preface to Firs,t I^dition 7 

Preface to Second I^dition.... 9 

Introduction 11 

Ufe of G. K. Berry 15 

Is there a God ? 26 

The Harmony of the Bible and 

Science 28 

Fulfilled Prophecy 32 

What Think You of Christ?.. 34 
Did Christ Rise from the 

Dead? Z7 

The Relation of the Old and 

New Testaments 39 

The Greek Chlirch 42 

The Roman Church 45 

I^uther 49 

The Church of England 54 

Calvin 59 

Wesley 62 

The Baptists 66 

'The Disciples of Christ 70 

What Must I Do to be Saved? 77 

The Rent Vail 7^ 

Things Which Abide „ . . 79 

Conviction 81 

Chlildren 82 

The I^ord's Supper 85 

Saved by Grace 88 

The Birthright Sold". 89 

Policy 92 

Justification 9Z 

Influence After Death • 94 

God's Commandments not 

Grievous 96 

The Death of Christ 98 

The Second Coming of Christ. 99 

Peace . . . ._ 100 

Tudas Iscariot 101 

The Plenteous Harvest ?.. 103 

The Glorious Gospel 104 

The Preacher and His Work. . 105 

Prayer 107 

Hell ; ,108 

Heaven HO 

A Greater Work than Miracles 113 

Regeneration 115 

No Continuing City 116 

Christ Gives Ufe 118 

We Must Have Christ's Spirit 120 

Adorn the Doctrine 121 

The Birth of Christ 122 

Types and Antitypes 125 

The Vine and the Branches. . . 126 

True Friendship 127 

The Transfiguration 128 

Christ Lives in Me 130 

Steadfastness 131 

Contend for the Faith 132 

The Sabbath 133 

Ye are the Salt of the Karth.. 135 

Lot and. His Wife 136 

Tribulation 137 



PAGE. 
Seek the Lord While He may 

be Found 138 

The Kingdom of God First 140 

Marks of the Lord Jesus 141 

Christian Liberty 142 

Repentance 143 

The Reason of Our Hope.... 144 

The Precious Promise 145 

Rich Man and Lazarus 146 

Opinion, Faith and Knowledge 148 

The Value of the Soul 14^^ 

Self-denial 150 

The Use of the Tongue 151 

Obedience 152 

Forgetting the Things Which 

Are Past 153 

Hindering Causes 154 

Men Can Not Destroy God's 

Wo.rks 155 

The Necessity of Knowing the 

Truth 157 

Sowing and Reaping 160 

The Great Wedding 162 

The Bread of Life 163 

Sympathy 164 

Conversion 166 

The Great Physician 167 

Christian Character 168 

Christ's Life afid Teaching 

Are Consistent 170 

The Outward and Inward.... 171 

Mordecai and Haman 172 

Change of Heart 173 

God's Estimate of Man 175 

The Gospel is God's Dynamite 176 

Growth of the Christian 178 

Has God Ever Failed to Ful- 
fill His Promises? ..... 179 

Present Your Bodies a Living 

Sacrifice ." 180 

Sanctification 182 

The Soul's Anchor 183 

We Must Forgive Each Other. . 185 
The Sin of Rejecting Christ. . 186 
Christ's Enduring the Cross. . 187 

Self -justification i89 

Fellowship with God and Christ 191 

Aristocracy 1^92 

The Church and Secret So- 
cieties 194 

Keep the Ordinances as I De- 
livered Them unto You.... 196 

Sectarianism 197 

Conscience 199 

Proselyting 202 

Parable of the Tares 205 

Seeking Things Above 206 

Draw Nigh to God. 207 

The Poverty of Christ 208 

The Wages of Sin is Death... 209 
The Relation of Christianity to 
Civil Government 210 



-10- 



— 11 — 



INTRODUCTION. 

A WORD TO YOUNG PREACHERS. 

WE HAVE always encouraged young men to enter 
the ministry, and shall continue to do so. It is 
the grandest calling in which men can engage. 
He who conscientiously spends his life in trying to 
bring the world to Christ will be rewarded tenfold in 
this life, and in the world to come will be filled with 
joy unspeakable and full of glory. But the young min- 
ister must und-erstand that his work will not all be sun-" 
shine, and he must prepare for the dark places. 

Having passed through the same experiences through 
which the young preachers are now passing, our sympa- 
thy for them is unbounded, and we therefore offer a few 
suggestions. 

On going into a strange community to take charge of 
a church the young minister needs to be as wise as a ser- 
pent and as harmless as a dove. He should be mindful 
of the fact that he will meet all kinds of people, and a 
few of them may be very designing. Those who take the 
most interest in the preacher when he first comes do not 
always prove to be his lasting friends ; and those who 
are seemingly cold on the start may in the end prove to 
be his warmest supporters. 

The preacher never ought to board in a private family 
in the church. If he finds a family which is satisfactory 
to him, others in the church are likely to be displeased. 
If the family proves disagreeable to him, he can not well 
make a change without causing some feeling. 

While* mingling with members of the church the 
preacher should never speak of the faults of one member 



— 12 — 

to another. There may be times in cases of church dis- 
cipHne when he must speak of the disorderly conduct 
of those under investigation, but otherwise he should 
be able to look everyone squarely in the face and tell 
him of his faults, or else say nothing. 

No preacher will ever accomplish much unless he has 
some ambition, but he ought to be very sure his ambition 
is laudable. "He should have a desire to influence many 
people for the purpose of making them better, but he 
will need to keep near the throne of grace, or he will 
find himself seeking popularity for other reasons. The 
happiest preacher is the one who honestly desires to labor 
just where the Lord wills that he labor. It is very poor 
policy and very bad principle for one preacher to try to 
build himself up by pulling another down. If Matthew 
18:4 had been heeded by all of those claiming to be 
Christ's ministers from the apostolic age down to the 
present time, the whole world might have been brought 
to the feet of Jesus. 

The young preacher must be very careful not to over- 
reach himself. It is dangerous to undertake to discuss 
difficult subjects until he is certain he can make them 
plain to the people. In fact, the greatest preachers in the 
world today are those who are noted for their simplicity. 
When the people are dying for the want of the gospel of 
Christ it is worse than folly to waste time on untaught 
questions. The world now needs a generation of 
preachers who will take the safe side of all questions and 
earnestly teach the pure gospel of Christ, both publicly 
and from house to house (Acts 20:20). 

Human nature is such that preachers may expect to 
change fields of labor occasionally, and they would just 
as well face that fact first as last. They should always do 
what they believe is for the good of the cause. When an 
opposition to the preacher springs up in a congregation 



— 13 — 

which is of sufficient strength to make his work a faikire, 
he would better seek another fiekl and urge all of his 
friends to stand loyally by his successor. In a church 
where a few malcontents are in the habit of sending the 
preacher away whenever he fails to pander to their 
whims, the good of the cause may demand that he re- 
main and override them ; but he ought to be very certain 
that the welfare of the church demands such a course. 
The feeling of the members of the church generally 
must be taken into consideration in such cases, and the 
wise preacher wall be willing to consult with his brother 
ministers. We would rather see a preacher leave a 
church when the good of the cause demands that he 
stay, than to see him stay^ when the good of the cause 
demands that he go. Under no circumstances w^ould 
we advise him to take a faction to a hall and organize 
another church for the sake of making a place for 
himself. 

In conclusion, we wish to say to the dear young breth- 
ren who will be preaching the unsearchable riches of 
Christ long after the hand that whites these lines shall 
have ceased to move, you have our sincere prayers. Be 
men of clean hands and pure hearts. Do not lift up 
your souls unto vanity. When we all meet beyond the 
shadows, if you can inform us that the brief and im- 
perfect statements contained in this little volume helped 
you in the slightest degree to preach Christ and him 
crucified, our labors will be rewarded ten-thousandfold 

"Courage, brother! do not stumble, 
Though thy way be dark as night; . 

There's a star to guide the humble, ■ 
Trust in God and do the right. 

Let the road be long and dreary, 

And its ending out of sight ; 
Foot it bravely, strong or weary, 

Trust in God and do the right, 



— 14 — 

Trust no party, trust no faction, 
Trust no leader in the fight, 

But in every word and action 
Trust in God and do the right.- 

Some will hate thee, some will love thee, 
Some will flatter, some will slight; 

Turn from man and look above thee. 
Trust in God and do the right." 



15- 



GEORGE KEYS BERRY. 

The: sands of life's short day quickly run. Men 
pass each other on its pathway, and, only glanc- 
ing into each other's faces, often receive impres-' 
sions that deeper and deeper grow, until the day closes, 
and through its night maintain a being, and open afresh 
in beauty and power at Eternity's sunrise. 

Not from human faces alone do we receive impres- 
sions. To be born among the mountains that lie up 
against the sky, whose towering peaks pierce the ethereal 
blue, whose highlands give scope to vision over hilltop 
and plain, whose valleys and canyons are traced by 
stream and torrent from the crystal fountairts on high, 
whose giant forests stretch upward as in rivalry for 
the summit, whose parks and rifted rocks shut out the 
world and leave man alone to commune with his own 
soul, with nature and with God — all give a vantage- 
ground to that life so born that often tells in rock- 
ribbed character, elevated soul, towering intellect and 
impetuous spirit. 

Then, too, the land of the Randolphs, the Pinckneys, 
the Jefifersons, the Madisons, the ''Mother of the Presi- 
dents," Virginia, where every spot is sacred with hallowed 
memories and inspiring histories, has impressions to im- 
part to her youth that carry ambition and energy in their 
atmosphere. To be born in such a land is to put our 
youth well under the star of Fortune and start him full 
in the race of life. 

Such a heritage was that of George Keys Berry, the 
sixth child of Nathaniel Berry and Isabella Keys Berry, 
his wife, who gave him to the world October 24, 1854. 



— Id- 
Three brothers there were, the second fahing asleep a 
week before the birth of George ;' the first weh known as 
a journahst and minister of the gospel on the Pacific 
slope, W. B. Berry, of San Francisco. There were also 
three sisters. Susan died in Illinois in 1879, and Sallie 
at Winfield, Kansas, in 1889. Mattie lives at San Cruz, 
California. 

The home was situated in Washington County, nine 
miles south of Abingdon, the county seat, so completely 
isolated that George never saw a town until he was 
twelve years old. The farm consisted of one hundred 
acres of knob land and about thirty acres of bottom 
land. The chief mode of travel in that mountainous 
region is on horseback. 

Before George had finished his second year, before the 
period when father begins to make his lasting impress 
upon the soul of his child, the fond father left the courts 
of earth, and his dust mingles with that of the hills of his 
native state. Those peculiar circumstances that so often 
come to a farmer's widow and her children now sur- 
rounded the Berry homestead. The struggle to maintain 
a united family, to gain for them a livelihood and to 
rear them in the fear of God, called forth, as it always 
does, the heroic of the mother heart. No misfortune 
could have overtaken G, K. Berry that would so surely 
mold a character that would stand the tests of time and 
make him to be a good and useful citizen as the poverty 
and isolation of his childhood days. 

At the very time when ordinarily George would have 
begun his work in school the Civil War came, affecting 
the Old Dominion more than any, other state of the 
Union. There were times in the Berry household when 
the widow and the fatherless were utterly without bread, 
tvhen the struggle amid the anarchy of war was intense 
and when it was difficult to heed the teaching of Jesus : 



— 17-^ 

"Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what 
ye shall drink ; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put 
on." The schools of Virginia were broken up and the 
education of the children was sadly neglected. 

In the fall of 1866 the Berry homestead was sold for 
enough money to take the family to Illinois ; and on 
going to Abingdon to close the sale George saw a town 
for the first time, although he saw the flames when the 
town was burned during the war. New surroundings 
and continued poverty called for renewed energy. 
, W. B. Berry was then the mainstay of the household. 
The first winter was occupied by the sons in corn-gath- 
ering as they had opportunity. And now from this time 
forward G. K. w^as destined to make his own living. 
He worked on the farm for wages ranging from ten 
to eighteen dollars per month. 

In 1870 Isabella Keys Berry, having performed her 
part in life well, closed the earthly struggle in death. 
It came as a great bereavement upon her children. The 
loving care of a mother was their great inheritance, 
and from this time forward will be a power in their 
lives as the memory of one w^hose fidelity never wav- 
ered. She was a consistent member of the Methodist 
Protestant Church. George being her youngest child, 
and then only fifteen years of age, her anxiety in her 
dying hour was for his welfare. Mother's prayers and 
tears as w^ell as her counsel avail much in the proper 
guidance and direction of her children. It was so in 
this case. George had become a member of his mother's 
Church before they left Virginia. His father was a 
Presbyterian, and died too early to influence his reli- 
gious life. 

' When G. K. Berry was eighteen years old he could 
scarcely read or write, but was full of ambition to have 
an education. He had saved a little over $100 out of his 



— 18 — 

wages and began his school work by attending a school 
in the country near Adair, Illinois, for six months, 
taught by Dr. J. H. Case. He went also the following 
summer to a school taught by D. A. Herlocker, a young 
teacher who became interested in him. This school was 
also in the country and southeast of Macomb, Illinois, 
eight miles. It is a little remarkable that with these 
two terms in school he was able, by the grace of the 
county superintendent of schools, to obtain a certificate 
as a public-school teacher and to begin teaching. For 
three years he continued studying and teaching and 
until the spring of 1876. 

The story of his conversion may be well told in his 
own words: "In 1876 I united with the Church of 
Christ at Macomb, Illinois, under the preaching of 
G. W. Mapes; For some years I had been confused ovei 
sectarianism, and could not conscientiously unite with 
any church that had a human creed. I read the New 
Testament through, and saw from that that sectarianism 
was wrong, but did not know of any religious body 
which held to my views. I had heard of the Disciples 
of Christ, but heard them called 'Campbellites.' I was 
told that they denied the operation of the Holy Spirit, 
a change of heart and the divinity of Christ. I acci- 
dentally became acquainted with Brother J. T. Webb, 
one of the elders of the church at Macomb, Illinois, and 
told him my religious convictions. He soon convinced 
me that I was in perfect accord with the Church of 
Christ, and that the Disciples were misrepresented. If 
I ever accomplish anything in the world, dear old 
Brother Webb will be entitled to some of the credit." 

Once having learned the way of the Lord the insati- 
able dosire to make him known to others took possession 
of Brother Berry, and he determined to immediately 
begin his preparation for that work. He at once entered 



-19 — 

Eureka College, taking up a selected course. At the 
end of the first year he taught a term of school, and 
preached for a country church in Marshall County, 
Illinois. He again entered the college, and spent an- 
other term. Finding his health failing from the over- 
work of the year previous, he returned to Macomb, 
Illinois, where he had begun his Christian life, and to the 
minister and church that had been instrumental in his 
conversion, to be formally set apart to the work of the 
ministry according to the New Testament method. Led 
by G. W. Mapes, the board of elders joined in this im- 
pressive ceremony by fasting and prayer and laying 
on of hands. 

Immediately after his ordination an opportunity came 
for him to locate at Toulon, Illinois, where he labored 
about two years. 

In June, 1880, Brother Berry visited the old home- 
stead in Virginia, and spent a month 'mid the scenes 
of his childhood. The two-story log house where he 
was born had much of interest about it, but had ap- 
parently diminished in size from his memory of it. He 
preached in the Methodist Protestant Church, where his 
mother held her membership, and in the Presbyterian 
Church, where his father had his church home, and min- 
gled with the few people that remained of ''ye auld 
acquaintance na'er forgot" for a few days, and then bade 
adieu again for the field of intenser life and service. Re- 
turning by way of Indianapolis, Indiana, he spent six 
months in Butler College under that 'Trince in Israel,'' 
O. A. Burgess. Again poor health interfered with prog- 
ress, and he returned to Illinois and spent the summer at 
Williamsville. But when September came he felt that he 
must spend at least one more year in school, and Chris- 
tian University at Canton, Missouri, seemed to have the 
most inviting curriculum for- his closing year. Here he 



— 20 — 

was in excellent health and did the best work of his his- 
tory as a college student, passing twenty-four examina- 
tions in nine months, and graduating in the class of 1882. 
He was " successively called to Memphis, Missouri, 
Youngstown, Ohio, East Des Moines, Iowa, and Char- 
leston, Illinois. At Des Moines he organized the East 
Des Moines Church, built and dedicated their house 
of worship, that has since been remodelled. In Charles- 
ton he brought the church to a high state of prosperity. 
Here he was married on December 2, 1887, to Miss Ida 
Vail, who has been to him a real helpmeet, always bear- 
ing the burdens of the preacher's wife with becoming 
modesty and efficiency, and with a devotion far beyond 
her physical strength. 

With January 1, 1888, began a seven-year term of 
service in the missionary fields of the Christian Woman's 
Board of Missions in the Northwest, beginning at Helena, 
Montana. It was during the three years at Helena that 
he was led to engage in a discussion with A. D. Raleigh, 
D. D., a leading minister of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. The discussion arose over the sprinkling of an 
infant of an English woman. She had applied to Brother 
Berry for the baptism of her child, and he declined, as- 
suring her that her baby was in no need of a ceremonial 
application of water. Inquiring for a pedobaptist minis- 
ter, she was directed to Dr. Raleigh, who administered 
the rite and received from the mother $20 in gold coin 
for the service. On meeting Brother Berry in a Good 
Templars' lodge. Dr. Raleigh exhibited his gift and twit 
ted Brother Berry with having missed this double-eagle 
by refusing to baptize the infant. The conversation thus 
begun resulted in a challenge from Dr. Raleigh to de- 
bate the baptismal question before the public at Helena, 
which was promptly accepted by Brother Berry. When 
it came to an agreement on the propositions. Dr. Raleigh 



— 21 — 

declined to affirm anything-, and steadfastly refused to 
debate any proposition except the affirmation by Brother 
Berry that ''The baptism in water of a penitent believer 
into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is 
in order to the remission of past sins.'*' He agreed that 
when, the discussion of this topic was completed, if 
it seemed desirable to continue the discussion upon other 
phases of the question, he would then consent to 
debate the form and subject of baptism. The debate 
took place in the Christian Church, occupying three 
evenings. Brother Berry acquitted himself with great 
credit, and at the close challenged Dr. Raleigh to con- 
tinue the discussion, taking up the remaining topics, 
but the doctor publicly declined to do so. Both dis- 
putants deported themselves as Christian gentlemen in 
the discussion, and the community was highly entertained 
and instructed. There was no bitterness generated bv 
the discussion. 

The last winter Brother Berry was in Helena he was 
chosen chaplain of the first State Senate of IMontana 
and learned many of the ways of politicians. He has 
always refused to take an active part in politics except 
when moral issues were at stake. 

From Helena he went to Eureka, California, where 
he had a very successful miinistry for nearly four years. 
He spent the last fourteen months of his life in the 
far West, in Red Bluff, California. On returning to 
the East he found himself a stranger among the churches 
and that it was necessary to renew^ his acquaintance be- 
fore locating. He went to Hutchinson, Kansas, to aid 
in settling a church difficulty, and agreed to remain a 
month, but this period grew into a year and a half. He 
then attended the General Missionary Convention at In- 
dianapolis, and was there interviewed by a committee 
from the church at Ionia, Michigan, and this interviev/ 



— 22 — 

ended in an engagement. On visiting the church the 
engagement of the committee was confirmed, and he was 
regularly installed as minister of the congregation. He 
served this church three years and added about one 
hundred and thirty to their fellowship. It is the largest 
congregation of Disciples in the state, and is a large 
contributor to all Missionary interests. A debt of $1,- 
000 was canceled. Isaac Errett organized this church 
in 1859, and was its regular minister for seven years. 

Brother Berry has been a popular minister with his 
congregations, and has generally left them in peace. In- 
deed, he has never left a congregation because the church 
wanted him to leave. It has been of his own choice. He 
has been a true shepherd, and has sought the best inter- 
est of the people whom he served, and thereby has pur- 
chased to himself a good degree. 

But life has its sunshine and its shadows, its prosperity 
and its adversity, its joy and its sorrow. On January 11, 
1890, there came to the home of Brother and Sister 
Berry a precious daughter, sweet and amiable in a supe- 
rior degree. Little Florence soon became the beloved 
of all who knew her and such a joy to her parents as 
only pure and lovely childhood can be. Her mental 
and spiritual development was wonderful. She never 
knew what it was to sin. She knew her Savior from 
the time she could lisp his name. She insisted on bap- 
tism at an early age, and was baptized' by her father 
less than a year before her death. On Friday she wa^ 
on examination in school, and had an average of over 
ninety percent, and stood ninety-seven percent in arith- 
metic. She was stricken with scarlet fever, and on the 
following Wednesday, December 7, 1898, yielded to the 
dread destroyer, and her spirit v/ent home to God. In the 
church nine months and one day, she knew more of the 
Scriptures at her tender age than many grown personSj 



-2i~ 

and always participated in the prayer-meeting. It was 
a hard stroke on Brother and Sister Berry. Months 
passed before their bleeding hearts could be reconciled. 
At the fortieth anniversary of the church in Ionia, Sister 
Cynthia Bliss, a mother in Israel, in- speaking of the mem- 
bers of the church who had departed, said: ''I wish I 
might close the list here, for only a sacred silence can 
guard the sorrowing hearts of our Brother and Sister 
Berry, who so recently gave up their darling, their only 
child Florence, the light of their home and the pride of 
the church. The memory of her short Christian life, her 
gentle winning ways, will be cherished long and loving- 
ly in the hearts of her little classmates and everyone who 
knew her.'' A few days after she departed to the better 
land her bereft parents found in her playroom, written 
on a piece of paper, ''God bless papa and mamma and 
help me to make my home bright.'' The brightest days 
of the earth-life thus far came to that home with the 
presence of this precious child, and faith is stronger, 
hope is brighter and heaven is nearer and dearer as it 
is now filled with the sweet expectancy of meeting her 
again. 

After leaving lonia^ Brother Berry located in Port- 
land, Oregon, and became one of the editors of the 
Pacific Christian. He has traveled extensively in the 
interest of the paper, and is therefore acquainted wath 
nearly all the preachers and churches on the Pacific 
Coast. At present he is preaching for churches near 
Portland on Lord's Days and doing his part of the edi- 
torial work during the week. His brother, W. B. Berry, 
has charge of the office in San Francisco, where the 
paper is printed. 

On March 15, 1903, another precious daughter, Helen 
Frances, came to the home of Brother and Sister Berry. 
She does not take the place of her sister, but has made 



— 24 — 

a place of her own, and is a great comfort to her 
parents. 

The personal characteristics of G. K. Berry are marked 
and strong. His transparent honesty and uprightness of 
character, developing as they did in the old Virginia home, 
came in manhood to be marks of the man. There is not 
a shadow of hypocrisy or double-dealing anywhere in his 
history. To his friends he is never-failing, constant, true. 
His candor in the expression of his opinions wins for him 
the admiration of those who differ from him. It is com- 
mon to hear it said, ''You know where to find Berry.'' 
How much of this came as an inheritance we can not telL 
Among his relatives have been fifteen Methodist preach- 
ers. Dr. J. B. McFarren, who offered the resolution in the 
Methodist Episcopal Conference of 1844 to divide the 
Church, was cousin to G. K. Berry. 

With his sturdy honor, bright principles may be found 
a gentleness of spirit that does not obtrude itself in an 
unseemly way, but with utter kindness seeks to be help- 
ful to those who need his help, to instruct the ignorant, 
warn the unruly, and win all to a better and nobler life. 
He is proud of those who can equal or excel him in any 
way and is free from every taint of jealousy of his fellow 
preacher. 

His speech is pure, and in harmony with the high prin- 
ples that govern his life. There can be no reflection upon 
him for anything he has said in this regard in public 
or in private. He is not self-assertive, but possesses that 
meekness of spirit that becomes the servant of the Great 
King. His personal presence is commanding. Six feet 
in height, weighing 200 pounds, a brunette, he in his 
maturity presents a typical figure on the platform. 

As a sermonizer he is clear, concise, strong. He has a 
message worthy of attention, and utters it in a direct and 
forceful way. As a preacher he has an object to attain 



in the delivery of his sermon and he undertakes to reach 
it by a short and effective method. He is loyal to the 
Master and his word. The. Bible to him is the end of all 
controversy, the final court of appeal. All opinion and 
doctrine are settled at this bar. There is nothing beyond. 
In its presentation he wins rather than repels those who 
are of the contrary part. He forms many strong friend- 
ships with preachers of various denominations, and never 
fails to recognize the man in the person that differs from 
him. 

He is conscious of his own imperfections, and while 
preaching the gospel to others he humbly appeals for per- 
sonal forgiveness in all his prayers. The Church should 
rejoice in a ministry like that of G. K. Berry. It is the 
steady onward movement, it is the gentle upward growth, 
it is the hopeful upw^ard expansion, it is the healthy in- 
ward assimilation of the power and glory and beauty 
of salvation in Christ. It means the Church in its purity 
for the individual and for every individual. It means 
''Christ for the world and the world for Christ." 

Now in the midst of his manly powers there should yet 
be before him a score of years of mighty service in the 
ministry of the word of God. R. E. DunIvAP, 

SEATTI.E, Wash. 



26- 



IS THERE A GOD? 
Text— Ps. 53:1. 
I. — Thoughts suggested by the text. 

1. There is a great difference between saying there is 
no God and saying that we do not know that there is a 
God, or do not beheve there is a God. The one who 
affirms that there is no God, must affirm that he knows 
all things. If he admits that there are some things 
which he does not know, that there is a God may be 
one of the things which he does not know. No one 
but a fool would claim to know all things, and no on^ 
but a fool would affirm that there is no God. 

2. Our salvation does not depend upon our knowing 
that there is a God, but we are required to believe in God 
(John 14:1; Heb. 11:6). 

3. In the strict sense of the word, we may not know- 
that there is a God while we are in the flesh, but when 
we go to our eternal home, we shall know him (John 
17:3). In this life we must walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). 
II. — Argument from design, 

1. Where there is design, we may rest assured that 
there is a designer. 

2. The structure of the human body shows design. Ii 
is difficult to understand how an anatomist can ever be 
an atheist. 

3. The earth shows design. It v/as designed for the 
abode of man; Thousands of things were placed in and 
on the earth to supply the wants of man. 

4. It is said that when Benjamin Franklin was United 
States Minister to France, an atheist, who was considered 
a very learned man, said he would come to 'FranklinV 



■ —27 — 

room on a certain evening to convince him that there is 
no God. Franklin made a miniature solar system and 
had it working well when the atheist came into his room. 
He was surprised and delighted, and said to Franklin, 
"Who made this?" Franklin said, ''No one." He con- 
tinued to inquire and received the same answer. Finally 
he was provoked at Franklin, and said, ''Do you take mc 
for a fool?" Franklin said, "No, but, on the contrary, 
I take you for one of the most learned men in France." 
The atheist said, "Why, then, do you say that no one made 
this system of worlds here in operation ?" Franklin said. 
"Come with me to the door," and then pointing upward, 
said, "You say that these came by chance, that no one 
made them, why should you think that anyone made that 
miniature system in the room?" The learned French- 
man saw his predicament, lifted his hat, and said, "Good 
evening. Dr. Franklin." 

HI. — The fact that there is life on the earth is evidence 
that there is a supreme being. 

1. Science has settled beyond question that there was a 
time when there was no life on the earth. 

2. Such scientists as Huxley and Tyndall have de- 
cided that life only comes from antecedent life. 

3. As there are various forms of life on the earth, we 
are compelled to conclude that some power has always 
existed to produce the first life. "Something always was 
or nothing could have been" (Everest). The truth oi 
this brief statement becomes clearer and clearer as v/e 
meditate upon it. Even Darwin admits that some super- 
natural power created the first life. 

4. Man, the highest type of life on the earth, has 
thought, and this shows that the antecedent life is a 
thinker. Man has the power of speech, and the being 
who made him must have the same power. Man loves, 
and the being who created him must also love, "Athe- 



— 28 — 

ism is as absurd, logically speaking, as polytheism" 
(Huxley). 

IV. — The foregoing arguments are clear to those 

who have the Bible, but no one ignorant of that 

book can ever grasp all of them. 

1. The heathen generally have some idea of a supreme 

power, but have never been able to get the idea of God 

which we find in the Bible. 

- 2. The fact that the writers of the Bible have such an 
exalted idea of God is evidence that God revealed him- 
self to them. We firmly believe that the first verse of 
the first chapter of Genesis contains more knowledge of 
God than all the world could ever obtain without a 
revelation. 

3. God as revealed in the Bible is confirmed by reason. 

4. But for the influence of the Holy Scriptures, 
science never could have decided so many important 
things which confirm the Bible idea of God. 

THE HARMONY OF THE BIBLE AND SCIENCE. 

I. — The first chapter of Genesis is in accord zvith science. 

1. Neither one states v/hen the creation took place. 
Science goes back to the great first cause, and Gen. 1:1 
states that God created the heaven and the earth. 

2. Both agree in regard to the condition of the earth. 
Science teaches that the earth was at one time composed 
of a semi-fluid, which v/as in a heated condition, and at 
a later period cooled, and v/as covered with water; and 
Gen. 1 :2 is in perfect harmony with this idea. 

3. Both teach that there was light before the sun w^as 
made, or became visible. 

4. Both teach that plant life first appeared, then life 
in the sea, then animal life on the land, and last of all 
man appeared. 



— 29 — 

11. — A variety of Bible siatciKcnis ere coniirmed by 
science. 

1. From Genesis 2:7, v/e learn that man was made 
of the dust of the earth, and cliemistry teaches that every 
element which composes man's body is found in the 
earth. 

2. Both the Bible and science teach that the human 
race began in Western Asia. 

3. Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11, 14, teach that the life is in 
the blood, and science now confirms these, statements. 

4. "All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not 
full ; unto the place from -whence the rivers come, 
thither they return again,"* Eccles. 1 :7. Science now 
teaches that this is done by means of evaporation. 

5. The earth was hung on nothing (Job. 26:7). This 
statement was perhaps never understood until Sir Isaac 
Newton discovered the law of gravitation. Job knev/ 
w4iat science did not learn for thousands of years after 
his day. 

III. — Brief statement from prominent scientists. 

1. Sir Charles Lyell, a British geologist, born in 1797, 
and died in 1875, said: ''In the year 1806 the French 
Institute enumerated no less than eighty geological the 
ories which were hostile to the Scriptures, but not one 
of these theories is held today." 

2. Friedrich Pfaff, Professor of Natural Science, Uni- 
versity of Erlangen, Bavaria, says: "We believe there 
was a first man, from whom all other men are descended, 
who was the fiirst head of the human race ; that there 
is a second Man in v>4iom God is incarnate, who is the 
source of undying hope to all v/ho become united to 
Him. Where science forsakes us, Revelation meets us 
v/ith an account of man's origin, state, and destiny, 
v;hich is adequate and coherent, which explains all the 
facts, and commends itself alike to reason and the con- 



— 30 — 

science ; and the more it is sifted and examined, the 
more well-founded and irrefragible does it prove to be/' 

3. James Dwight Dana, Geologist and Mineralogist 
(1813-1895) : ^^This grand old Book of God still stands, 
and this old earth, the more its leaves are turned over 
and pondered the more it will sustain the sacred word." 

4. Alexander Winchell, Professor of Geology in the 
University of Michigan from 1879 to 1891 : ''I desire- 
to inspire your minds with confidence that the inter- 
ests of religion are by no m.eans in peril. It is unman- 
ly to be found quaking with fear. Faith is to experi- 
ence another renaissance. It may not be easy, it may not 
now be possible, to explain how all discordances are to 
be reconciled; but I entertain the strongest confidence 
that all the conflicts of the passing hour will only result 
in the elimination of a body of truth — religious and sec- 
ular — more beautiful and lovely than any upon which 
human thought has yet been fixed. I wish you to feel 
brave. I wish you to feel strong. I wish you to feel 
jubilant. I would like to lift my arm as high as heaven 
to signify my steadfast faith in the fortunes of our 
Christianity. I would like to speak with a voice which all 
the terrified should hear and take heart again. I would 
like to raise a shout which shall fill the world at the joy T 
feel over the coming reconciliation of the contending 
forces and the final establishment of the harmony and 
the sacredness of all that truth which God has consti- 
tuted us to accept, for which philosophers have thought, 
poets have dreamed or martyrs bled." 

5. Eight hundred of the leading scientists of Great 
Britain signed the following declaration, which is now in 
the Bodleian Library, Oxford, England. It was tran- 
scribed by the Bodleian Librarian, and is published in 
''A Cloud of Witnesses,'' by S. A. Northrop: 

''We, the undersigned, Students of Natural Sciences, 



-31 — 

desire to express our sincere regret that the researches 
into scientific truth are perverted by seme in our own 
times into occasion for casting doubt upon the truth and 
authenticity of the Holy Scriptures. We conceive that 
it is impossible for the Word of God, as written in the 
book of nature, and God's v/ords written in the Holy 
Scripture, to contradict one another, however much they 
may appear to differ. We are not forgetful that Physical 
Science is not complete; but is only in a condition of 
progress, and that at present our finite reason enables us 
only to see through a glass darkly; and we confidently 
believe that a timic will come when the two records will 
be seen to agree in every particular. We can not but de- 
plore that Natural Science should be looked upon with 
suspicion by many who do not make a study of it, merely 
on account of the unadvised manner in w4iich some are 
placing it in opposition to Holy Writ. We believe that 
it is the duty of every Scientific Student to investigate 
Nature simply for the purpose of elucidating truth, and 
that if he finds that some of his results appear to be in 
contradiction to the wTitten Word, or rather to his owm 
interpretations of it, which may be erroneous, he should 
not presumptuously affirm that his ow^n conclusions must 
be right, and the statements of Scripture wrong; rather, 
leave the two side by side till it shall please God to allow^ 
us to see the manner in which they may be reconciled ; 
and, instead of insisting upon seeming differences be- 
tween Science and the Scriptures, it would be as well to 
rest in faith upon the points in which they agree." 



— 32 — 

FULFILLED PROPHECY. 
Text— 2 Pet. 1 :2L 
1.— Prophecies concerning Christ. 
L Gen. 3:15; 22:18; 49:10. 

2. Deut. 18:15-19; Acts 3:22; Zech. 11:12, 13; Ps. 
34:20. 

3. Isa. 53:2-12. 

4-. Amos 5:20; 8:9; Zech. 14:4, 6. 
. 5. Ps. 16:10; Mic. 4:2. 
II. — The dream of N ehnchadnezsar, 

1. Repeat the dream and tell the interpretation. (Dan. 
2:1-45.) 

2. The first of the four kingdoms was the Babylonian, 
over which Nebuchadnezzar ruled, the second was the 
Medo-Persian, established by Cyrus B. C. 538, the third 
was the Greek Empire, established by Alexander the 
Great B. C. 334, and the fourth was the Roman Empire, 
which was established by Julius Caesar about 45 B. C. 

3. The kingdom of Christ was established on or about 
the day of Pentecost A. D. 34, and did break in pieces 
and consume all four of the universal monarchies by 
breaking down the idea that ''might makes right," which 
prevailed in all of them. (See ''Milligan's Reason and 
Revelation," pp. 61-68.) 

Ill — Chrisfs prophecies, 

1. He foretold how the people would hear the gospel, 
and we can see his prophecy fulfilled every year. (Matt. 
13:19-23). 

2. He foretold his death (Matt. 16:21; 17:23 ; 26:31). 

3. He prophesied concerning the destruction of Jeru- 
salem (Matt. 23:37, 38; 24:1, 2; Luke 19:43, 44), and 
about 70 A. D. it w^as destroyed by Titus. 

IV. — Paul prophesied that the man of sin zvould he re- 
vealed (2 Thess. 2:3-10). 



— 33 — 

1. Protestants claim that the apostasy which developed 
during the dark ages and cuhiiinated in declaring the 
Pope of Rome to be infallible is the man of sin. 

2. Alexander Campbell and Isaac Errett both held that 
the man of sin is the Roman Catholic Church, of which 
the Pope of Rome is the head. 

3. Each one should carefully study Paul's prophecy 
and the history of the great apostasy, and decide for 
himself. 

4. We are firmly convinced that the man of sin in- 
eludes the apostasy. It may be that Paul had reference 
to other evils as well as to the corruption of the Church. 
v.- — Were these prophets divinely inspired? 

1. Uninspired men could not have foretold the char- 
acter and work of Christ. The prophets, who so clearly 
foresaw and foretold his coming, must have had more 
than human wisdom. 

2. The only w^ay we can account for Daniel's prophecy 
concerning the four kingdoms and the establishment and 
work of the Church is to conclude that God revealed it 
unto him (Dan. 2:19). 

3. The fact that Christ could foresee and foretell his 
death and the destruction of Jerusalem is evidence that 
he was more than human. 

4. Paul's description of the man of sin is evidence that 
he was an inspired man. It would be more difficult for 
us to believe that all of these facts could have been so 
correctly foretold by the prophets without divine aid 
than to believe with Peter that they spoke as they were 
moved by the Holy Spirit. 



WHAT THINK YOU OF CHRIST? 

Text— Matt. 22:41-46. 
1. — What the New Testament says of Him. 

1. — That he came from God and went to God (John 
13:3; 16:28). 

2. He claimed that he was before Abraham (John 
8:58). • 

3. He said he was greater than Solomon (Matt. 
12:42). 

4. That he was God's Son (Mark 1:1; Matt. 3:17; 
17:5; John 3:16; 5:17, 18). 

5. That he created all things (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). 

6. That he was God in the flesh (Matt. 1:18-23; 1 
Tim. 3:16). 

II. — From the standpoint of the world he has nothing 
to give him inHuence. 

1. He was cradled in a manger (Luke 2:7). 

2. He was reared in the despised town of Nazareth. 

3. His father was a carpenter. 

4. There is no evidence that he ever went to school. 
III. — He caused a mighty revolution. 

1. Those fishermen, whom he had chosen to represent 
him in the world, preached in Jerusalem, where he had 
been crucified, that he was divine, that he was the Son 
of God. 

2. Notwithstanding their prejudice, three thousand 
Jews accepted him in one day (Acts 2:41). 

3. Philip convinced the Samaritans that Christ had 
come as their Savior (Acts 8:12). 

4. Through Peter and Paul, mAiltitudes of the Gen- 
tiles were persuaded to forsake their idols and accept: 
Christ. 

5. Before Christianity had been in the world three 



— 35 — 

hundred years, it became the rehgion of the Roman 
Empire. 

IV. — The influence of his teaching is sufficient to prove 
his divinity, 

1. If we lay aside his miracles, we can not account for 
the influence of his teaching on any other ground than 
that he was superhuman. 

2. Christianity has always flourished in light, while 
Mohammedanism and other false religions have flour- 
ished in darkness. 

3. The most civilized nations date historical events 
from the birth of Christ. 

4. Those who reject his virgin birth and his resurrec- 
tion admire his character and teaching. 

"But whatever may be the surprises of the future, 
Jesus w^ill never be surpassed. His worship will grow 
young without ceasing; this legend will call forth tears 
without end ; his sufferings will melt the noblest hearts ; 
all ages will proclaim that among the sons of men there 
i's none born greater than Jesus" (Renan's 'Xife of 
Jesus"). 

It is difficult to understand how this rationalist can 
make so many admissions without granting all that the 
New Testament says of Jesus. The following sounds 
very much like the sentiments of Christians: 

^'Repose now in thy glory, noble Founder, thy w^ork is 
finished ; thy divinity is established. Fear no more to see 
the edifice of thy labors fail by any fault. Henceforth 
beyond the reach of frailty, thou shalt witness from the 
heights of divine peace the infinite results of thy acts. At 
the price of a few hours of suffering, which did not even 
reach thy grand soul, thou hast bought the most complete 
immortality. For thousands of years the world will de- 
pend on thee. Banner of our contests, thou shalt be the 
standard about which the hottest battle will be given. A 



— 36-- 

thousand times more alive, a thousand times more be- 
loved, since thy death than during thy passage here be- 
low, thou shalt become the cornerstone of humanity so 
entirely that to tear thy name from this world would be 
to rend it to its foundations. Between thee and God 
there will no longer be any distinction. Complete con- 
queror of death, take possession of thy kingdom, whither 
shalt follow thee, by the royal road which thou hast 
traced, ages of worshipers" (''Life of Jesus,'' p. 351). 

''As little as humanity will ever be without religion 
as little will it ever be without Christ; for to have re- 
ligion without Christ would be as absurd as to enjoy 
poetry without regard to Horner or Shakespeare" (F. D. 
Strauss, German rationalist). 

Again the same writer says of Christ: *'He remains 
the highest model of religion within the reach of thought ; 
and no perfect piety is possible without his presence in 
the heart." 
V. — Was he divine? 

1. If he was not divine, he was the greatest imposter 
the world has ever known, as he claimed to be divine, 
and his Church was built on the proposition that he was 
God's Son (Matt. 16:16-18). 

2. If we take the position that he was, not divine, we 
fnust then admit that a falsehood has done more for the 
uplifting of the world than all of the truth which has 
ever been published. 

3. When all the facts are considered, it is more diffi- 
cult to believe that he was nothing more than a man 
than to believe that he was God in the flesh. "If weak 
thy faith, why choose the harder part?" 

4. We can account for the influence of his life and 
teaching in the world on the basis that he was divine, 
but if we take any other position we can never do so. 

5. When we admit his divinity, we can see how he was 



—37— 

David's son and at the same time David's Lord. He 
was of the seed of David according to the flesh, but 
David's Lord because he was God as well as man. 



DID CHRIST RISE FROM THE DEAD? 
Text— Rom. 10:9, 10. 
I. — A fezv statements from the Scriptures. 

1. Christ foretold his resurrection (Matt. 16:21: 
17:22, 23; 20:17-19). 

2. See Matt. 27:59-66; 28:1-15. 

3. Acts 2:32; 10:40, 41;. 1 Cor. 15:1-8. 
II. — What unbelievers admit, 

1. That Christ was crucified and buried. 

2. That the sepulchre was made sure. 

3. That his body was taken out of the tomb. 

4. That his disciples preached that he rose from the 
dead, and many believed it. 

III. — Positive evidence that he was raised, 

1. The large number who have believed in Christ's 
resurrection from his day to the present time is evidence 
that he was raised. 

2. If his body had been in existence it would have been 
produced to silence the preaching of his disciples, who 
declared that God had raised him from the dead. 

3. Either his friends, his enemies, or God took his 
body out of the grave. 

4. His friends could not, his enemies would not, and 
we are left to the conclusion that God raised his body 
out of the tomb^ as the witnesses declare. 

IV. — The evidence considered from the legal standpoint. 

1. The jury is supposed not to know anything about 

the case before the trial and should be free from bias. 

In this case we will consider the readers the jury, and 



— 38 — 

hope they will consider the testimony carefully and 
honestly. 

2. The following quotations will sufficiently show the 
qualifications of witnesses in our modern courts. 

''A witness can testify of those facts only which he 
knows of his own knowledge ; that is, which are derived 
from his own perceptions." 

''A witness is presumed to speak the truth. This pre- 
sumption, however, 'may be repelled by the manner in 
which he testifies, by the character of his testimony, or 
by evidence affecting his character for truth, honesty, 
or integrity, or his motives, or by contradictory evidence ; 
and the jury are the exclusive judges of his credibility." 

3. The women who went to the sepulchre had a good 
opportunity to know that the tomb was empty, what the 
angels said to them, and to know Jesus when he spoke 
to them. There is nothmg which can be said against 
their character, and they could have had no false motives 
in testifying that Jesus was raised from the dead. 

4. He showed himself alive to his apostles by many 
infallible proofs (Acts 1:3), and they certainly were 
competent witnesses. Peter and John saw the empty 
tomb (John 20:3-8). Thomas was determined to have 
sufficient evidence- (John 20:24-29). The testimony of 
the apostles must stand. They had good opportunities 
to know, their characters were above reproach, and they 
had no false motives in preaching the resurrection, as 
they brought upon themselves persecution, and all of 
them, except John, suffered martyrdom on account of 
the testimony which they delivered. 

5. Stephen sealed his testimony in his own blood (Acts 
7:51-60.) 

6. Paul spent his whole life in testifying, both with 
tongue and pen, that God raised Christ from the dead, 
and finally suffered martyrdom at Rome because he 



— 39 — 

would not retract his testimony. No one would dare 
say that Paul was an incompetent witness. 

CONCI.USION. 

When we apply the tests of our modern courts to 
the testimony of those who testified that Christ was 
raised from the dead, we will find that it wall remain un- 
scathed. No counter testimony has ever been presented 
which weakens it a particle. The very best the enemies 
could do at the time the news of the resurrection began 
to be published, was to bribe the soldiers to say, "ilii> 
disciples came by night and stole him away while we 
slept." A child can see that such testimony is absurd. 
A witness would be laughed out of a modern court who 
would attempt to testify concerning something v/hich 
was done while he was asleep. But the attempts of such 
learned skeptics as Strauss and Renan in trying to ac- 
count for the removing of the body are but little improve- 
ment on this. 

As Christianity is built upon the resurrection of Christ, 
it is grand that the proof of it is so strong. May the 
whole world be persuaded to confess with the mouth the 
Lord Jesus and believe in the heart that God raised him 
from the dead. 

THE RELATION OF THE OLD AND NEW 
TESTAMENTS. 
Text— Luke 24:44, 45. 
L — Lessons from the text. 

L The Jews divided the Old Testament into the law, 
the prophets and the psalms, and Jesus here recognizes 
these divisions and states that all that they say con- 
cerning him will be fulfilled. 

2, The Pharisees and Sadducees were divided in re- 



—40— 

gard to the traditions of the fathers, but were a utit 
in regard to the sacred books. See ''Antiquities of the 
Jews/' by Josephus, 'Book 13, Chapter 10, Sec. 6; Book 
18, Chapter 1, Sec. 4; and ''Against Apion/' Book 1, 
Sees. 11, 12. 

3. These Old Testament books were translated from 
Hebrew into Greek, to be placed in the library in Alex- 
andria, by Ptolemy Philadelphus, about two hundred 
and fifty years B. C, and have been in the hands of 
both Jews and Gentiles ever since, and therefore no 
material change could. well have been made in them with- 
out detection. 
II. — The necessity of faith in Christ, 

1. John 3:16; 20:30, 31. 

2. Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9, 10. 

3. 1 John 4:2, 3. 

III. — The following Scriptures show Christ's refer- 
ences to the Old Testament, and it is difficult 
to see hozv those who believe in him can logically 
reject any portion of it which he endorsed, 

1. Matt. 21:42; Ps. 118:22, 23. 

2. Matt. 22:29; Luke 24:27. 

3. John 10:34-36; Ps. 82:6; John 13:18; Ps. 41:9, 
IV. — The apostles endorsed the Old Testament, 

1. Pet, Acts 1:16; Ps. 109:8; 2 Pet. 1:20. 

2. James 4:5; Gen. 6:5; Prov. 21:10. 

3. Paul, Acts 17:11; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 
15:1-4; 2 Tim. 3:14-17. 

V. — New Testament references to certain portions of the* 
Old Testament. 

1. The law of Moses (John 1:17; 5:45-47; 7:19-22). 

2. Christ endorsed the story of Jonah (Matt. 12:39- 
41). 

3. Christ's reference to Daniel (Matt. 24:15; Mark 
13:14) can not well be reconciled with the idea that the 



— 41 — 

book of Daniel was written by some Maccabean author 
over four hundred years after Daniel's time. 
. 4. One would never infer from Luke 4:20, 21; Isa. 
61:1, 2; Matt. 13:14, 15; Acts 28:25-27; Isa. 6:9, 10, 
that there were two or more Isaiahs. But it is said 
that Jesus referred to these books from the Jewish stand- 
point, and did not indorse the authorship or historicity 
of them any more than he endorsed the ideas of the- 
time in regard to geography and astronomy; but we 
think that the cases are far from being parallel. Jesus 
did not come to teach science, but he came to teach re- 
ligion and save the world from sin. It was not necessary 
that the people know the shape of the earth and the 
movements of the heavenly bodies, but it was necessary 
for his disciples to have correct ideas of the sacred 
books upon which both he and they largely relied to 
prove that he was the Messiah. If he had found the 
Jews in possession of erroneous ideas concerning the 
authorship and truth of the law and the prophets, we be- 
lieve he would have corrected them. He was ready to 
show wherein the law was deficient and that he had come 
to establish something better (Matt. 5:17-48). 

Notwithstanding what the critics have said, we still 
believe that Moses wrote the Pentateuch, excepting the 
account of his own death, that the story of Jonah is true, 
that there was only one Isaiah, and that Daniel wrote the 
book which bears his name. We can see no good to come 
from the new views^ and until the proof of their cor- 
rectness is very clear, shall reject them. Scientific men 
hold the old theories until there is clear evidence that 
the new theories are better, and this ought to be the 
rule in regard to the theories of the destructive critics. 



— 42 — 

THE GREEK CHURCH. 

Text— 2 Thes. 2:3-10. 

introduction. 

In all probability none of the members of the Greek 
Church will ever know what we say in this discourse, 
and will therefore have no opportunity to take offense, 
but we should be just as kind in speaking of them when 
they are absent, as we would if they were present. We 
should never do any religious body injustice in public or 
private. But no Church can consistently object to a fair 
and candid investigation of its history and teaching. 
1, — The history of the Church from the apostles to 
Constantine. 

1. The churches which are described in the New Test- 
ament were not connected by any ecclesiastical organi- 
zation. Each congregation had its' own officers and dis- 
ciplined its own members. 

2. Bishops and elders were the same in the ancient 
churches (Acts 20:17, 28), and remained the same until 
some time in the second century^ when a bishop began 
to be considered a higher officer than an elder, and by 
200 A. D. bishops were called priests. 

3. Country churches gradually became subject to city 
bishops, and the bishops of Antioch, Alexandria, and 
Rome became very influential. Synods were organized 
and bishops presided over them. The lay element was 
gradually excluded from the synods. 

4. The Roman bishop became very prominent on ac- 
count of the importance of the city of Rome. As early 
as 170 A. D: the claim began to be m.ade that Peter was 
the first bishop of Rome, and the Roman bishops were 
gradually exalted above other bishops, and took the 
oversight of the churches in the smaller places, 

XL — From . Constantine to Gregory I, 



— 43 — 

1. Constantine, Roman Emperor, was converted about 
A. D. 323^ and made Christianity the rehgion of the 
empire. This was regarded as a wonderful victory for 
the truth, but it became a curse rather than a blessing. 
It gave the Church great influence, but was the means 
of corrupting it, and was not in harmony with John 
18 :36, 

2. The Coimcil of Nice was convened in 325, and con- 
demned Arius, who had taught that Christ is not co- 
eternal with the Father, approved of bishops' presiding 
over the synods, and adopted the Nicene Creed. 

3. In 451 A. D. a General Council was held at Chal- 
cedon, which raised the bishop of Constantinople to the 
level of the bishop of Rome and gave him the right to 
receive appeals from the whole Eastern Church. This 
caused much discussion between the East and West. 
Leo I., who was bishop of Rome at the time, claimed 
that he was Peter's successor and held the keys of the 
kingdom (Matt. 16:16-18), and was very much opposed 
to the act of the Council. 

4. In Italy the term "Pope" began to be applied ex- 
clusively to the Roman bishop as early as A. D. 500. 
III. — From Gregory I. to the separation of the Eastern 

Church from the Western Church. 

1. Gregory was the first real Pope and served from 
590 A. D. to 604. He did not aspire to the position, but 
was gradually elevated until he became the head of the 
Church. In many respects he v/as a great man. 

2. The Patriarch of Constantinople assumed the title 
of ''Universal Patriarch," which was very much resisted 
by Gregory. 

3. The Council of Constantinople in 692 A. D. re- 
affirmed the decree of the Chalcedon Council in regard 
to the rank of the Patriarch, allov/ed the marriage of 
priests, and condemned pictures of the Lamb. 



— 44 — 

4. The coronation of Charlemagne on Christmas Day 
A. D. 800, by Leo III., gave great encouragement to the 
idea that Popes must crown and uncrown kings. This 
idea naturally increased the power of the Pope in civil 
affairs. 

5. The Council at Constantinople, in 869, was rejected 
by the Eastern Church, and ten years later one was called 
at the same place, which was rejected by the Western 
Church. The Western Church was determined to put 
all power into the hands of the Pope, and the Eastern 
Church was determined not to submit to it. 

6. In 1054, a papal bull was left on the altar of the 
church of St. Sophia excommunicating the Patriarch of 
Constantinople. The Patriarch, supported by other 
Patriarchs in the East, issued a like excommunication, 
which made the division between the Greek and Latin 
Churches permanent. 

IV. — The Greek Church at the present time, 

1. It accepts the decisions of the first seven General 
Councils. 

2. It has Patriarchs, Archbishops, and Bishops, who 
are all unmarried except those who were married before 
ordination. The priests are required to marry once, 
but are not allowed to marry the second time. 

3. It keeps up the practice of immersing infants, which 
began in the third century. 

4. It allows Bible reading, but does not encourage it 
as much as do Protestants. 

5. It numbers about 100,000, 000, and is found in Rus- 
sia, Turkey, and Greece. Constantinople is still the 
great center of influence, and it has been predicted that 
through the Russian Government the Greek Church will 
some day subdue the unspeakable Turks. From the 
Christian standpoint this would be sad, but the result 



would be of great benefit to both Christianity and civil- 
ization. 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Give a brief review of the preceding lecture. 
I. — The history of the Roman Catholic Church from 
the separation from the Greek Church to the 
Council of ■ Vienne A, D, 131 1. 

1. In 1073, Hildebrand was called to ascend the throne 
of St. Peter. He took the name of Gregory VII. Though 
accepting the office of Pope with seeming reluctance, he 
assumed more power than any of his predecessors. His 
position was that the Pope must be supreme in all things 
here below, as he controls eternal destinies. He claimed 
to be greater in authority than kings. He attacked Henry 
IV., of Germany. At first, Henry was very bold and told 
Hildebrand to get down and let another take the chair 
of St. Peter, but the following January, Henry stood 
barefoot for three days before the castle at Canossa wait- 
ing for Hildebrand to give him absolution. This was 
humiliating to Henry, and he sought by force to regain 
his political power. He was successful and was crowned 
emperor. Hildebrand was driven into exile, and died 
May 25, 1085. 

2. Innocent III. claimed that he was not only to rule 
the Church, but also the whole world. The idea that 
the Pope should have absolute authority gradually gained 
favor with the people. 

3. The year 1229 A. D. is notable for the organization 
of the Inquisition and the prohibiting of Bible-reading. 
The purpose of the Inquisition was to ferret out and 
punish heretics. It was one of the most intolerant and 
tyrannical institutions the world has ever known. 



—46— 

4. By the close of the thirteenth century, transubstan- 
tiation, auricular confession, and the sale of indulgences 
were well established. 

II. — From the Council of Vienne to the Council of 
Trent, 1345. 

1. The Council of Vienne, which met in 1311, abolished 
the order of Knights Templar. The Council of Ravena, 
which was in session the same year, authorized sprinkling. 
The practice of the Church up to this time was immersion, 
except in a few cases of sickness. 

2. John Wicliffe was the most remarkable of all the 
reformers before the Reformation. He opposed many 
of the doctrines of the Roman Church, translated the en- 
tire Bible into English, and openly defended the right of 
the people to read it in their own tongue. His relation 
to the politics of his day enabled him to escape 
martyrdom. He died in 1384. The Council of Con- 
stance, in 1415, condemned his teaching, and in 1428 his 
bones were taken up and burned and his ashes thrown 
into the Swift. 

3. John Huss took the position that the Bible is the 
only authority in religion, but the same council which 
condemned the teaching of Wycliffe, tried and con- 
demned him, and he was burned July 6, 1415. 

4. Jerome was placed in prison, tied to a stake and 
fed on bread and water. He became reduced in health 
and. was persuaded to recant what he had said about 
transsubstantiation, but this did not release him. He 
finally repented of his recantation and was burned May 
30, 1416. 

5. William Tyndale translated the Bible into English, 
but was strangled and burned at the instigation of Henry 
VIII. , October 6, 1536. He met his fate with composure, 
his last words being a prayer, 'Xord, open thou the king 
of England's eyes." Three years later, Henry had a 



-47 — 

revision of Tyndale'3 translation scattered broadcast 
over England. 

III. — From the Council of Trent to the Vatican Council, 
1869. 

1. The Council of Trent is considered the most im- 
portant in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. 
It lasted, with several interruptions, about eighteen 
years, closing December 4, 1563. It affirmed that tradi- 
tion, as a source of knowledge, is of equal authority wdth 
the Scriptures, made the Latin Vulgate of equal value 
with the original Greek, reaffirmed the old doctrines with 
scarcely any modification, and condemned Protestantism. 

2. After the Council of Trent, the power of the Pope 
gradually increased. 

3. St. Liguori, who stood very high in the Roman 
Catholic Church, makes the following statement: 

''A bishop, however poor he may be, can not appro- 
priate to himself pecuniary fipes without the license of 
the Apostolical See. But he ought to apply them to 
pious uses. Much less can he apply those fines to any- 
thing else but pious uses, w^hich the Council of Trent has 
laid upon non-resident clergymen, or upon those clergy- 
men who keep concubines.'' A. Campbell quoted this 
in his debate wdth Archbishop Purcell, but the bishop 
declared that Liguori never said anything of the kind. 
The matter was referred to a committee of scholars, w^ho 
decided that the statement is found in Liguori's work. 
Mr. Campbell then asked from Purcell the loan of the 
work of St. Liguori, and every word was found in his 
own edition just as Mr. Campbell had quoted it in the 
debate. This shows the immoral teaching of the Roman 
Church. The Council of Trent allowed clergymen to 
keep concubines by paying fines, but if they should get 
married, which is in harmonv v/ith the teachinof of the 
New Testament, thev would be excommunicated. 



— 48 — 

4. Pope Pius IX. was the last to exercise both jtem-- 
poral and ecclesiastical power. The former glided out 
of existence in 1870. Pius was kind to his subjects in 
many ways, and, in a sense, became quite popular; but 
the time had come for a separation of the temporal and 
ecclesiastical powers, and no kindness on his part could 
prevent it. He strongly insisted on the immaculate con- 
ception of the Virgin and papal infallibility. In his en- 
cyclical letter of 1864, he condemned, as heretical, lib- 
erty of conscience, the liberty of the press, the separa- 
tion of church and state, the equality of laymen and 
clergy before the law, and the right of the people to 
make their own laws and elect their own magistrates. 
IV. — Prom the Vatican Council to the present time. 

1. The chief action of the Vatican Council was to de- 
cide that the Pope is infallible. Only two members of 
the Council voted against infallibility, as all others who 
were opposed to it had departed from Rome. Pius IX. 
was Pope at the time, and lived to exercise his absolute 
authority until February 7, 1878. The statement was pub- 
lished after his death that his body was kept for several 
days, and the faithful came and kissed his feet. He was 
succeeded by Leo XIII., who reigned until 1903. Pius 
X. is now in the chair. 

2. The Roman Church now numbers about 272,000,- 
000, and is still the enemy of progress, as she has 
been for centuries. No country which has been domi- 
nated by her has ever kept pace with the onward march 
of civilization. 

3. The recent war between the United States and 
Spain has greatly weakened Catholicism, and has opened 
Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippine Islands to Protest- 
antism. 

4. Protestantism in the United States has greatly mod- 
ified the views of many Catholics, and there are many 



-49- 

good people in the Catholic churches of America, but a 
large portion of the doctrines of the church are anti- 
American and anti-Christian. We are firm in the convic- 
tion that the close of the twentieth century will witness 
a triumphant Catholicism in the United States, or a 
united Protestantism. For the latter^ we shall labor and 
pray. 

THE REFORMATION OF LUTHER, 

I. — The history of Luther up to the time he began to 
dissent from the teaching of the Roman Church. 

1. He was born at Eisleben, Germany, on November 
10, 1483. His parents were poor, but placed a high 
value upon education and religion. Luther sang, as 
w^as the custom in his day, at the doors of citizens to 
pay for his schooling. 

2. He went to Erfurt to complete his studies before 
entering the legal profession. There he saw for the first 
time in his life a complete copy of the Scriptures. He 
was familiar with certain portions of the Bible which 
were read in church services, but had never before taken 
the entire Bible into his hands. His reading this copy 
of the volume caused him great anxiety of soul. Two 
years later, contrary to his father's will, he forsook the 
legal profession and entered an Augustinian convent 
and studied religion three years. 

3. He was made preacher and professor at Wittenburg 
in 1508, and soon became distinguished for his learn- 
ing and devotion to the Scriptures. 

n. — His change of views, 

1. His study of the book of Romans gave him the idea 
that justification is by faith, and that Jesus came as a 
Savior and not as a law-giver. He was especially im- 
pressed with this idea in Rome in 1510 while climbing 
4 



— 50 — 

Pilate's sacred stairs on his knees and in prayer. He 
thought. of the words of Paul, "The just sliall live b> 
faith" (Rom. 1:17), and saw that they would not har- 
monize with the requirements of the Church. He also 
saw that the priests and monks in Rome were irrever- 
ent and immoral. 

2. In 1517, John Tetzell came into the neighborhood 
of Wittenburg to sell indulgences. Indulgences mean 
that by the payment of a stipulated sum the penalty for 
sin will be removed, or that the soul will be released 
from the flames. Those who purchased indulgences were 
told that as soon as their money clinked in the bottom 
of the chest the souls of their deceased friends forth- 
with went up to heaven. This struck Luther as so ab- 
surd that he assailed it from the pulpit. 

On October 31, 1517, he nailed his ninety-five theses 
to the church-door in Wittenburg. In these he denied 
the power of the Pope to remove penalties other than 
those he had himself imposed, and affirmed that they 
could not reach beyond death. 

3. Luther had no idea of throwing off allegiance to 
the Roman Church. If he had been allowed to preach 
his convictions, he would have continued a loyal subject 
for some time. His only object was to correct evil, but 
unconsciously he struck a great blow at the authority 
of Rome and the priesthood. 

4. All Germany was aroused over what Luther said. 
Some were opposed to his new ideas, and others, who 
were influential, endorsed him. 

III. — Luther s further investigations and the Pope's 
efforts to subdue him. 
1. Dr. John Eck arranged for a public discussion at 
Leipsic with Carlstadt, one of Luther's colleagues. 
Luther and Melanchthon went to hear the discussion. 
As Eck assailed Luther's views, it was natural that 



— 51 — 

Luther should be drawn into the discussion. Eck claimed 
that the primacy of the Pope was of divine appointment, 
but Luther contended that it was of human appointment, 
and therefore not indispensable. He further startled the 
assembly by stating that among the articles for which 
Huss was condemned there were some that were thor- 
oughly Christian. As this controversy continued, Luth- 
er's investigations led him to the conclusion that the 
papal rule was a hateful usurpation. He urged the 
Christian nobles of Germany to put an end to papal in- 
terference in civil afifairs and to take the work of 
reformation into their owm hands. He rejected the idea 
of a special priesthood and asserted the universal priest- 
hood of believers. , 

2. In his work on the "Babylonian Captivity of the 
Church," he attacked transubstantiation and all ordi- 
nances which violated Christian liberty. 

3. The Pope sent his legate to instruct Luther and 
correct his heresy, but Luther was more ready to debate 
the issues than he was to be instructed. The Pope 
issued a bull reaffirming indulgences, and Luther ap- 
pealed to a general council. 

4. A papal bull was sent to Germany excommunicat- 
ing Luther and commanding Elector Frederick to de- 
liver him up, but Frederick chose rather to protect him. 
Luther called the papal bull the ''execrable bull of Anti- 
christ," and on the 10th of December, 1520, he burned 
it, together with a copy of the canon law, at the gates 
of Wittenburg, in the presence of the doctors and stu- 
dents of the university, and a concourse of people who 
gathered to witness the scene. By this act, he threw 
off his allegiance to the Roman Church. 

5. Luther was now cut off from the communion of the 
Church and the Pope appealed to Charles V. to put him 
under the ban of the empire. Charles proposed to do 



— 52 — 

this by an imperial edict at the Diet of Worms. The 
German princes persuaded the emperor not to condemn 
Luther unheard. Luther was summoned before the Diet 
to answer for himself. Charles had assured him a safe 
conduct to and from Worms. As Luther was on his 
way to the Diet, he was greeted with enthusia'sm and 
warned of his danger. When reminded of the fate of 
Huss, he replied, ''Huss has been burned, but not the 
truth with him. I will go on, though as many devils 
were aiming at me as there are tiles on the roof." When 
he appeared before the Diet, he was a little dazed and 
spoke in a low tone. When he was asked to retract the 
contents of his books, he requested time to frame a re- 
ply and was given until the next day. . At the appointed 
time, he appeared before the Diet and stated that he 
could not retract anything that he had written until it 
was proved contrary to Scripture or sound reason. 
When asked for the last time whether he would retract, 
he replied that his conscience would not permit him to 
do so, and closed with the words: "Here I stand; I 
'can do naught else. God help me. Amen.'' 
IV. — The remainder of Luther's life, 

L Some urged Charles to arrest Luther before he 
left Worms, as faith was not to be kept with a heretic ; 
but there were too many ready to defend him. After 
the Diet had begun to disperse an edict placing Luther 
under the ban of the empire was passed through the 
intrigues of Aleander, the papal nuncio. 

2. While Luther was on his way back to Wittenburg 
he was intercepted by soldiers and carried to Wart- 
burg. There was an understanding between Luther and 
the elector that this would be done. Here Luther, 
though under the ban of the Church and the empire, 
was safe, and he spent most of his time with his transla- 
tion of the New Testament into German. 



— 53- 

3. Grave disturbances arose in the church at Witten- 
burg. Luther was afraid that the movement which he 
had inaugurated vvould end in a wild burst of fanaticism. 
Notwithstanding the elector had warned him of his dan- 
ger, if he left Wartburg, he returned to Wittenburg and 
in a few powerful sermons quieted all disturbances in 
the church. He did not return to Wartburg, but re- 
mained at Wittenburg and labored as preacher, teacher 
and author, 

4. On June 13, 1525, Luther married Catherine von 
Bora, who had been a nun. He had two objects in taking 
this step. (1) He yearned after domestic life; (2) He 
wished to show his hostility to the law of celibacy. Some 
of his friends were displeased with his marriage at first, 
but it proved to be of advantage to the cause. It gave 
him a home where he could delight in music and song 
and in the frolics of his children. His touching letters 
to his wife and the tender expressions of grief at the 
death of his children reveal the fact that he had a great 
heart. . 

5. Charles came to the Diet at Augsburg determined 
to subdue the reformers and re-establish the unity of the 
Roman Church, but the Protestants were determined to 
maintain the cause of the reformation. Luther was left 
in the castle at Coburg, as it was not considered safe for 
him to go to Augsburg. He was in constant communica- 
tion with his colleagues and urged them to have firm con- 
fidence in God's care for the cause of right. Melanch- 
thon drew up the Confession and presented it to the 
Diet. This Confession presented in mild terms the views 
of the reformers. The sentiment was too strong in favoi 
of the Protestants to allow the emperor to compel them 
to submit to the authorities of the Roman Church. Peace 
w^as concluded at Nuremburg in 1532. 



— 54 — 

6. Luther died February 18, 1546. His last words 
were: *'Into thy hands I commend my spirit. Thou 
hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth." 
Y.—Did Luther make mistakes? 

1. He exercised his Hberty in studying the Bible, but 
seemed slow to allow others to do the same. This is 
seen in his controversy with Zwingli on the Lord's 
Supper. 

2. He endorsed the Augsburg Confe§sion, which has 
divided his followers. 

3. While admitting that immersion was the practice 
of the primitive Church, he brought sprinkling and infant 
baptism over from the Roman Church. 

4. We allow no one to go beyond us in praising Luther 
for his great work^ but we should avoid his mistakes. We 
could not expect an uninspired man to eliminate all the 
corruptions which had been creeping into the Church for 
about fourteen hundred years. If he could have com- 
pletely restored primitive Christianity, it would have been 
a grand thing, but this was left for other reformers. 
Luther could never have done his work without the work 
of Wycliffe, Huss, and Jerome ; and the privilege of 
standing on Luther's shoulders was a great help to the 
reformers who came after him. Let us complete his 
work. 

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 

L — The career of Henry VIII., King of England. 

1. It was contrary to the laws of the Church for a man 
to marry the wife of a deceased brother, but a dispensa- 
tion was granted by the Pope for Henry to marry the 
widow of his brother Arthur. The marriage was ar- 
ranged when Henry was in his twelfth year, but it was 
not consum.mated until the death of his father, After 



— 55 — 

Catherine had lost her charms, Henry began to doubt 
the vaHdity of his marriage, and he may have been sin- 
cere, but his increasing love for Anne Boleyn no doubt 
had much influence upon him. He asked the Pope tj 
annul the marriage. The Pope was slow to condemn the 
act of his predecessor and thereby at the same time 
curtail the papal prerogative. 

2. The delay of the Pope was not relished by Henry, 
and he influenced Parliament to forbid the introduction 
of papal bulls into England. Appeals to Rome were 
forbidden. On or about January 25, 1533, Henry was 
privately mxarried to Anne Boleyn. On March 30, 1533, 
Thom.as^ Cranm.er was consecrated archbishop of Canter- 
bury and was authorized to pronounce judgment on 
the matter of the divorce without fear or favor. Henry's 
marriage to Catherine was pronounced unlawful from 
the beginning. 

3. In 1534, Henry was conditionally excommunicated 
by Clement VH. The papal decree deposing him from 
the throne and absolving his subjects from their alle 
giance did not follow until 1538, and Vv^as issued by Paul 
HI. Parliament declared that the king was higher in 
authority than the Pope. The dissolution of the king's 
m.arriage dissolved the union of England wath the papacy. 
Thomas Moore and Bishop Fisher wxre put -to death 
because they refused to endorse the dissolution of 
Henry's marriage with Catherine. 

4. After Henry had opposed the Catholics to his own 
satisfaction, he began to favor them_. Against the earnest 
wishes of Cranmer and Cromwell, the Six Articles were 
framed into a statute. These decreed transsubstantia- 
tion, the needlessness of communion in both kinds, the 
celibacy of the clergy^ the obligation of vow^s of chastity, 
the necessity and value of private masses, and auriculai 
confession. Thomas Cromwell was beheaded for what 



— 56 — 

Henry called high treason, but shortly before Henry died, 

he fell back on Cromweirs policy. In his last days, 

Henry regretted the great confusion which existed in 

regard to religion, and recommended charity as the 

remedy. 

II. — Protestant rule imder Edward VL 

1. Henry was able to maintain a church which was 
neither Catholic nor Protestant, but to hold the two 
parties under. this restraint was no longer possible. 

2. Under Edward, who was in sympathy with the 
Protestant faith, the Six Articles were repealed, the 
Book of Common Prayer was adopted and services in 
Latin ceased. The use of consecrated oil, prayers for 
the dead and auricular confession were abolished. 

3. The Articles of Religion, forty-two in number, were 
framed in 1552. The main source of the Articles was 
the Augsburg Confession; but the Lutheran doctrine of 
the Eucharist was abandoned. • 

4. Cranmer and Melanchthon had much influence in 
establishing the Protestant rule, Cranmer sought the 
counsels and presence of Melanchthon in the time of 
need. Protestant principles were pushed more rapidly 
than public sentiment justified. 

III. — The reaction under ''Bloody Mary'' 

L As soon as Mary's advisers would permit, she pro- 
ceeded to restore the old system. Deposed bishops were 
restored to their sees, the mass was restored, the form 
of service ordained by Henry VIII. was re-established 
by Parliament, and Latimer and Cranmer were sent to 
the Tower. 

2. About eight hundred Englishmen, whose lives were 
in danger, fled to Germany and Switzerland. Not far 
from three hundred, who remained at home, were put to 
death. 

3. The fortitude of many of the martyrs broke dov/n 



— 57- 

the popularity of Mary and sent the roots of Protestant- 
ism deep into the soil. John Rogers, who had assisted 
Tyndale in translating the Scriptures, bathed his hands 
in the flame, "as if it was cold water/' Hooper smiled 
when he saw the stake. As Latimer stood in the flames, 
he said, "Play the man, Master Ridley. We shall this day 
light up such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I 
trust shall never be put out." The burning of Ridle> 
and Latimer took place at Oxford, on a spot where Cran- 
mer could see it from the prison tower where he was 
confined. From this .time, on account of his natural tim- 
idity and physical exhaustion, his spirit gave way. In 
this condition, he was led to believe that his life would be 
spared, if he would retract some of his statements, and 
he signed six recantations. He was then led to the stake, 
where he recalled the denials of his faith and professed 
anew his Protestant convictions. He held his right 
hand, with which he had signed the recantations, in the 
flames until it was consumed. 

4. Mary tried to re-establish papal rule in England, 
but the sentiment of the people and Parliament would not 
sustain her. 
IV. — The reign of Elizabeth. 

\. Elizabeth had conformed to Catholic rites, but was 
known to favor the Protestant cause. 

2. She banished the mass from her chapel, and royal 
supremacy was restored. 

3. She studied the Bible and was a Protestant from 
conviction. There was very little persecution during her 
reign. She rejected Calvinism and, to quite an extent, 
accepted the teaching of Luther. 

4. She had the Articles reduced from forty-two to 
thirty-nine, and required the clergy to subscribe to them. 

5. In 1570 Pius V. excommiunicated Elizabeth and ab- 
solved her subjects from their allegiance. Finally it be- 



— 58 — 

came necessary, from her standpoint, to prohibit Catholic 
priests from landing on EngHsh soil, and to consider those 
who harbored them as traitors to the queen. 
V. — Objections to the Cliu/ch of England. 

1. The Episcopal form of government was considered 
in harmony with the civil government of England. Jam.es 
I, said that a Scottish Presbytery ''agrees with monarchy 
as well as Christ and the devil.'' ''No bishop, no king" 
was his favorite maxim. There is no scriptural authority 
for the bishops of the Church of England. In the ancient 
Church, bishops were officers in a single congregation 
(Acts 20:17, 28). 

2. The union of church and state is a great hindrance 
to the propagation of true Christianity. 

3. The English Church brought over from the Roman 
Church the idea that the Church must legislate, the creed 
idea, baptismal regeneration and sprinkling, and has 
divided over them. It can never be united until all these 
relics of Catholicism are eliminated. 

4. In our authorized version of the Bible, which was 
completed under James I. in 1611, the Greek word 
baptizo was transferred and not translated. If it had 
been translated "immerse," "dip" or "plunge," it would 
have contradicted the practice of the English Church; 
and if it had been translated "sprinkle" or "pour," it 
would have made nonsense of such Scriptures as Mark 
1:9; Rom. 6:3,4. 

5. If Henry VIII., and all others who aided in ban- 
ishing papal rule from England, had rejected all of the 
corruptions which crept into the Church during the great 
apostasy, and had rallied the people around the Cross of 
Christ and accepted nothing but the Bible, properly trans- 
lated, as the book of authority, it would have been a great 
thing for Christianity; but this is more than we could 
expect of them in their circumstances. We should give 



— 59 — 

them credit for what good they accompHshed, and profit 
by their mistakes. 

THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF JOHN CALVIN. 

I. — Give a brief sketch of his life. 

1. He was born in Nayon, France, in 1509. 

2. At the age of twelve, he was appointed to a chap- 
laincy, which brought him sufficient revenue for his sup- 
port. He never was troubled with poverty. 

3. He was sent to Paris to study for the priesthood. 
While tlnere he Vv^as noted for his uncommon intellectual 
powers and for a certain strict and severe tone of char- 
acter. He had not been in Paris long, when his father 
decided to qualify him for a jurist. He went to Orleans 
and Burges, and attended the lectures of the celebrated 
doctors of the law. He was a hard student, and greatly 
impaired his health. He became so proficient in his legal 
studies that frequently when the professors were absent 
he w^as invited to take their places. 

. 4. Through the influence of a relative and the study 
of the New Testament in the original, he accepted Prot- 
estantism. His study of the scriptures caused him to 
see the necessity of throwing himself upon the mercy of 
God, and entering by faith into the fellowship of Christ. 
This he called his ''sudden conversion.'' He could get 
no comfort from penances or the consolations of the 
Church. His w^hole soul became absorbed in the study 
of the Bible. He and his friend Cop became the leaders 
of the Protestant cause in Paris. An attempt was made 
to bring him and Cop to punishment, but they escaped 
from the city. 

5. Calvin wrote his ''Institutes of the Christian Re 
ligion" to correct false charges which had been made 
against the French Protestants and to vv^n France to 



— 60 — 

the Protestant cause. He died at Geneva, Switzerland, 

May 27, 1564. 

II. — Calvin s work. 

1. Not long after the publication of the "Institutes'' 
Calvin visited Italy and spent some time at the court of 
the accomplished Duchess of Ferrara, the daughter of 
Louis XII., of France. As he returned from Italy, he 
passed through Geneva and was persuaded to remain 
there and assist Farel in defending Protestantism. Farel 
had been driven out of France, and came to Geneva, 
where the citizens had established the Protestant cause 

2. He and Farel adopted such strict rules* that the 
people drove them out of Geneva about 1538. But his 
able reply to the cardinal, who appealed to the Senate 
to re-establish Catholicism, made the people of Geneva 
look again to him for help, so he returned and became 
tlie leader of church and state. He was persecuted, 
but it was all in vain. 

3. Calvin believed that as the Catholics shed the inno- 
cent blood of Protestants in order to establish their 
superstitious worship, it would be a shame for 
Christian magistrates not to protect the truth. Michael 
Servetus published things which Calvin thought were 
heresy, and was put to death. This is the dark spot in 
Calvin's history, and the only apology which can be made 
for it is that the prevailing idea at that time was that 
heretics should be put to death. 

4. Calvin's labors at Geneva were trying, but he lived 
to see the city delivered from strife, and the institutions 
of learning which he had established, in a prosperous 
condition. When death was approaching, he called the 
members of the Senate to his bedside, thanked them for 
their tokens of honor, asked their forgiveness for the 

"outbreaks of anger which they had so patiently borne, 
assured them that he had sincerely expounded the word 



of God among them, warned tliem to be humble and 
watchful in regard to evils which still threatened the 
state, and then offered a fervent prayer, and took each 
one by the hand as they departed from him with their 
eyes filled with tears. 
III. — His doctrine has been summed up in five points. 

1. Unconditional Election^ 

2. Particular Redemption. 

3. Total Depravity. 

4. Irresistible Grace. 

5. Final Perseverance of the Saints. 

IV. — Churches n'hich have adopted Calvinism. 

1. The Anti-Missionary Baptists are strictly Calvin- 
istic, but are fast becoming extinct. 

2. The regular Baptists are Calvinistic to a certain 
extent, but preach that men are responsible for their 
ovvm sins and that all who hear the gospel can be saved, 
if they choose. 

3. The Congregationalists are generally considered 
Calvinistic, but many of their preachers almost entirely 
reject the five points of Calvinism. 

4. The Westminster Assembly, v/hich met on July 1, 
1643, and closed on February 22, 1649, framed the creed 
which is the standard in the Presbyterian Church so far 
as ministers and church officers are concerned. This 
creed is intensely Calvinistic, but is largely kept in the 
background. Scarcely ,any of the ministers preach it, 
and perhaps a majority of the lay members of the church 
do^ not know what the little book contains. It has re- 
cently been revised. 

V. — Objections to Calvinism. 

1. We think Calvin was not consistent in his teach- 
ing in that he taught unconditional election and at the 
same time advocated individual responsibility. 

2. We are firm in the conviction that his teaching has 



— 62— • . 

had a tendency to produce Universalism and Infidelity. 

3. The most consoHng thing about Calvin's- teaching 
is that but very few people beheve it, and the indications 
are that a few years hence, no one will believe it. 

4. Calvin's followers have divided over what he 
brought over from the Roman Church, viz., the creed 
idea, the idea that the church shall legislate, and infant 
baptism and sprinkling. 

JOHN WESLEY. 

I. — A brief sketch of his life, 

1. He was born at Ep worth, Lincolnshire, England, 
in 1703. 

2. He was educated by his mother, in a school in Lon- 
don, and at Oxford. His scholarship was of a high 
order. -At Oxford he became the leader of a society 
called ''Methodists," because they were methodical in 
their lives and work. 

3. He was ordained to the ministry in the Church of 
England, and in 1735 he came to America for the pur- 
pose of doing missionary work in Georgia. While on 
the sea, he was very much alarmed in a storm, and no- 
ticed that some Moravians were very calm and happy, 
notwithstanding their danger. This convinced him that 
he was not thoroughly converted, and after his return 
to England, he sought the companionship of the Mora- 
vians for the purpose of learning more of their relig- 
ion. He heard one of them read what Luther said of 
the change which God works in the heart through faith. 
The impression which this reading made upon him is 
beautifully told in his own words. ''I felt my heart 
strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ 
alone for salvation ; and an assurance was given me that 
he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me 



— 63 — 

from the law of sin and death." His new methods did 
not suit the members of the Estabhshcd Church of Eng- 
land, and the church buildings were closed against him. 
He preached in the open fields to large audiences. Those 
who were converted under his preaching were organized 
into societies which were intended to be auxiliary to the 
Church. 

4. Wesley's marriage w^as a failure. His wife tried 
to ruin him, and finally took some valuable papers and 
left him. He had been very patient with her in all her 
imfaithfuiness, and when she left him without cause, 
decided not to call her back. 

5. He died in 1791. His life covered almost the entire 
eighteenth century, 

n. — His great work. 

1. It has been said that no one ever accomplished so 
much work as John Wesley. Whether this be true or 
false, all must admit that his work was wonderful. 

2. His ministry extended over a period of about fifty 
years, during which time he traveled, m.ostly on horse- 
back, 250,000 miles and preached 40,000 sermons. 

3. He read every work of note as it came from the 
press, and v/rote commentaries on the Bible, grammars 
of the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and French languages, 
works on logic and philosophy, controversial treatises, 
journals, sermons, and abridged over one hundred vol- 
umes for a ''Christian Library." 

4. Though Wesley died in the Church of England, he 
organized the ilelhodist Episcopal Church of America. 
The English bishops v/ould not ordain ministers for 
America, and Wesic} was asked to take such steps as 
would provide the American brethren with ministers who 
would be empowered to administer the sacraments. In 
1781, Wesley ordained Thomas Coke as bishop for Amer- 
ica. Coke ordained Francis Asbury as bishop, and others 



were ordained as elders and deacons. A general confef^ 
ence at Baltimore in 1784 confirmed Coke and Asbury 
as bishops, and adopted the creed which was prepared 
by Wesley. The creed consisted of 25 articles which 
were taken from the creed of the Church of England. 
The general conference has passed other laws which are 
now published with the 25 articles under the title ''Disci- 
pline of the M. E. Church.'' All ministers who apply 
for ordination in the Methodist Episcopal Church are 
expected to accept the 25 articles. The organization of 
the M. E. Church is considered the crowning act of Wes- 
ley's life. Wesley was not a bishop in the Church of 
England, but became convinced that presbyter and 
bishop are of the same order, and that he had as good 
a right to ordain as to administer the sacraments. 
III. — Wesley's character, 

1. He was noted for his piety. His preaching was 
a direct appeal to the heart. No one can read his life 
and teaching without being impressed with the spirit- 
uality which characterized all his preaching and writing. 

2. He was one of the most self-sacrificing men the 
world has ever known. Most of his preaching was done 
without pay. He received a large revenue from the 
sale of his books, but gave it all to the Lord's cause, ex- 
cept what he spent for the necessaries of life. He died 
a poor man. 

3. He was very patient and kind in all of his dealings 
with men, and left the impression upon those he met 
that he lived for the good he could do. Knox said, 'M 
never was so happy as while with him, and scarcely ever 
felt more poignant regret than at parting from him ; for 
Vv^ell I knew I ne'er should look upon his like again." 

4. He had profound faith and always walked close to 
the Master. A lady once asked him, "Mr. Wesley, sup- 
posing that you knew that you were to die at twelve 



— 65 — 

o'clock to-morrow night, how would you spend the in- 
tervening time?'' ''How, madam?" he repHed, ''why, 
just as I intend to spend it now. I should preach this 
evening at Gloucester, and again at five to-morrow morn- 
ing. After that I should ride to Tewkesbury, preach in 
the afternoon, and meet the societies in the evening. I 
should then repair to friend Martin's house, who expects 
to entertain me, converse and pray with the family as 
usual, retire to my room at ten o'clock, commend myself 
to my heavenly Father, lie down to rest, and wake up 
in glory." 

5. When the time came for him to depart, he still had 
great faith, and his last words were, "Best of all is, God 
is with us." If we are so fortunate as to be permitted 
to enter through the pearly gates into the New Jerusa- 
lem, we shall there expect to see John Wesley with 
many stars in his crown. 
IV. — Did Wesley restore primitive Christianity? 

1. He stood on the shoulders of Luther and was far 
in advance of his age. The formalism of the Church 
of England was not conducive to spiritual growth. 
Wesley did much to restore the spirituality of the New 
Testament. We very much doubt his falling below the 
Apostle Paul in living and preaching piety. 

2. His study of the Scriptures enabled him to see 
that the distinction between elder and bishop which is 
made by the English and Roman Churches is erro- 
neous. He saw the evils of sectarianism and deplored 
party names. He saw that such passages as Rom. 
6:3, 4, clearly teach that the apostles practiced immer- 
sion. The great wonder is that he came so near restor- 
ing New Testament Christianity. But few men would 
have done so well in his circum.stances. 

3. His followers have divided over what he brought 
over from the Church of England, and the Church of 

5 



~66~ 

England had borrowed the same from the Roman 
Church. The general conference of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church assumed the power to legislate, 
adopted the cwenty-five articles which Wesley had pre- 
pared, and consequently, the Church has divided into 
many different branches. At the Methodist Ecumenical 
Conference, which was held in London, in 1881, there 
were twenty-eight branches of Methodists represented. 
If Wesley had insisted that Christ is a sufficient creed 
the Bible a sufficient book of authority, that the im- 
mersion of believers was the practice of the primitive 
Church, and that all of the relics of Catholicism should 
be laid aside, his followers would never have divided, 
and he would have presented a basis upon which all 
Protestants could unite without any compromise of the 
conscience. We allow no Methodist preacher to go 
beyond us in praising Wesley, but must insist that it 
is the duty of every man to correct the mistakes of 
Wesley or any other man. It is the duty of this 
generation to completely restore the New Testament 
Church, so far as it is possible to do so, 

HISTORY AND TEACHING OF THE BAPTISTS. 

I. — A brief historical sketch, , 

1. A few Baptists, mostly found in the South, have 
taken the position that they can trace their history back 
to John the Baptist, but are compelled to assume a great 
deal in order to do so. A large majority of the Baptist 
preachers admit that the facts of history do not warrant 
such a position, but contend that the teaching of the 
Baptists at the present time is in harmony with the 
teaching of the Apostolic Church. 

2. We find it a little difficult to decide just when and 
where the first Baptist Church was organized. Some 



— 67 — 

writers favor the idea that the Baptists came from the 
Anabaptists, but it is difficult to trace the historical 
connection between the two. The Anabaptists rejected 
infant baptism, but did not insist on immersion. Some 
believe that the Baptists in England began to practice 
immersion in 1641, while others contend for an earlier 
date. In 1644, seven Baptist Churches in London sent 
out a confession. In 1677, a confession appeared in 
London under the title ''A confession of Faith put forth 
by the Elders and Brethren of many Congregations of 
Christians baptized upon a Profession of their Faith.'' 
It was adopted by the Baptist Association, which met 
in Philadelphia, September 25, 1742, and is therefore 
called the Philadelphia Confession. This confession is 
much the same as the Westminster Confession. It dif- 
fers from the latter in regard to what constitutes a 
Church and the Sacraments. About 1833, Rev. J. New- 
ton Brown prepared the New Hampshire Confession, 
which is shorter and simpler than the Philadelphia Con- 
fession, and presents the Calvinistic system in a milder 
form. 

3. The Baptists of England suffered many persecu- 
tions, and it is comforting to know that they never shed 
a drop of human blood in order to establish their relig- 
ious belief. The Act of Toleration (1689) brought them 
the liberty for which they had long contended. 

4. The American Baptists largely, but not entirely, 
trace their origin to Roger Williams and Ezekiel HoUi- 
man, who formed a Baptist Church in Providence, Rhode 
Island, in 1639. Holliman baptized Williams, and then 
Williams baptized Holliman and ten others. Williams 
soon withdrew from the Church, but the Church still 
lived and became the mother of many other Baptist 
Churches. 



— 68-- 

II. — The belief of the regular Baptists. 

1. Until 1833, the main standard of faith was the 
Philadelphia Confession, but since that time the New 
Hampshire Confession has been much used in the North 
and East. The Baptists do not adhere to their articles 
of faith as closely as some other religious bodies. As 
a rule, a church is not admitted into an Association 
without adopting some articles of faith. It is doubtful 
whether a minister who rejects many of the articles in 
the Philadelphia Confession could receive ordination at 
the hands of the Baptists. 

2. We are impressed with the idea that Baptist minis- 
ters are now more inclined to emphasize free grace than 
they are the Calvinistic features of their belief. 

3. They have stood unflinchingly in favor of immer- 
sion and against infant baptism for nearly three hundred 
years. 

4. Close communion has been a prominent idea 
among Baptists, and it is safe to say that a large ma- 
jority of their ministers are still in favor of it, but there 
IS undoubtedly a growing sentiment against it in many 
places. 

111.— Wherein we think the Baptists are right. 

1. They are right in rejecting the ecclesiastical organ- 
ization of the Roman Church and establishing congre- 
gational government. 

2. They are right in contending for religious liberty 
and opposing the union of church and state. 

3. They are right in insisting on the primitive form 
of baptism and rejecting baptismal regeneration and in- 
fant baptism. 

4. They are right in urging that their members live 
godly lives, and thereby show to the world that the 
Holy Spirit dwells in their hearts. 



— 69 — 

5. They are right in their efforts to evangelize the 
world. 
IV. — Wherein zve think they have erred, 

1. We believe that they are not advocating the union 
of God's people as strongly as they should. 

2. They have adopted an unscriptural name. Christ's 
disciples were not called Baptists. We do not read in 
the New Testament of a Baptist Church. 

3. The human creeds which they have framed and 
adopted have had a tendency to divide them. All creeds 
'were prepared that there might be unity of faith, but 
they have had the opposite effect. The Calvinism which 
appears in the various confessions was rejected by the 
Armenian or Free Will Baptists, and never can become 
the basis upon which God's people can unite. In 1835, 
the Old School Baptists became a separate body on the 
ground that it is not in harmony with the doctrine of 
unconditional election to send missionaries to the heathen. 
If the doctrine of election as taught in the Westminster 
and Philadelphia Confessions be true, there is no good 
way to escape their conclusion. Counting the colored 
churches in the South, the Regular Baptists number 
about 4,000,000 in the United States. If, instead of 
framing and sending out so many human creeds which 
have been adopted by associations and churches, and 
adopting a human name, they had taken Christ as their 
creed, and the Bible as the only book of authority, they 
would no doubt have avoided their divisions, and might 
have united the whole Protestant world by this time. 

4. They are certainly not on New Testament ground in 
regard to the Lord's Supper. Both Scripture and History 
clearly teach that the ancient churches communed weekly, 
but most Baptist churches commune once a month. 
Their close communion has been a great detriment to 
them, It is difficult to harmonize it with 1 Cor. 1 1 :26-28, 



— 70 — 

Their argument is that no one communed in the ancient 
churches who had not been immersed^ and therefore no 
one should commune now who has not been immersed. 
No one prayed or preached in the ancient churches who 
had not been immersed, but our good Baptist brethren 
will allow, and even' invite, unimmersed people to pray 
and preach in their churches ; but when the communion 
comes, they draw the line. This is so transparently in 
consistent that we believe it will not be able to stand th? 
light of the twentieth century. 

THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. 

I. — The religious condition at the beginning of last 
century, 

1. The state of morals was very low, infidelity 'was 
very prevalent, and many of the evils were charged to 
Christianity. 

2. Those who professed to believe Christianity were 
mostly Calvinists who held that a definite number were 
elected to everlasting life, irrespective of character, and 
that those who were not elected were children of wrath. 
Men were taught that there was nothing which they 
could do in order to inherit eternal life. When minister.-^, 
were inclined to talk to the young people, often the par- 
ents would say, ''If they are the elect of God, he will 
in his own time and way regenerate them." The word 
of God, in the Bible, was regarded as a dead letter. 
There was no power in the Gospel to produce faith. Such 
Scriptures as Romans 10:17 were entirely overlooked. 

3. Sunday schools, Bible societies, and temperance so- 
cieties were opposed, ministers entered the pulpit under 
the influence of alcoholic liquors, and the Churches were 
fighting each other. 

4. Some thought that the Christian religion wou]d soon 



— 71 — 

pass away. The Presbyterian and Methodist Churches 
publicly deplored the low state of religion and morals. 
II,— The zi'ork of B. W, Stone, 

1. A great revival meeting was held at Cane Ridge, 
Kentucky, in August, ISOl. B. W. Stone, a minister in 
the Presbyterian Church, was the leading spirit in this 
meeting. The preachers insisted on the necessity of re- 
pentance and faith, and assured those in the congregation 
that alf could be saved, if they would come to Christ. 
This kind of preaching was considered heresy by some 
good men in the Presbyterian Church, and charges were 
preferred against B. W. Stone and others before the 
Synod. For the sake of peace, they withdrew from the 
Synod, but this act did not bring peace, as they blamed 
the Westminster Confession for their trouble, and this 
brought a powerful opposition against them. They be- 
gan, therefore, to organize churches without any human 
creed and took the Bible as the only book of authority. 

2. Stone and others who were in sympathy with him 
had no idea of establishing a new denomination. They 
were men of peace. They loved God and they loved men. 
Their only object was to make Christians according to 
the New Testament. They saw from such Scriptures as 
John 17:20, 21; 1 Cor. 1:10-13; 3:1-7, that divisions 
were wrong, and their great aim was to correct them. 

3. In 1804, Stone became disturbed on the question of 
baptism, and his investigations led him to accept immer- 
sion as the scriptural form. He also saw that Acts 
2 :38 teaches baptism for the remission of sins. 

4. B. W. Stone spent his whole life in preaching the 
primitive gospel and organizing churches on the New 
Testament basis. He had many followers in Kentucky. 
His ministry extended over a period of forty years. He 
died at Hannibal, Alissouri, in 1844. 



— 72 — 

III.— The zvork of the Campbells and Walter Scoti, 

1. In 1807, Thomas Campbell came from Ireland to 
Washington County, Pennsylvania, and became a member 
of the Anti-Burger Presbytery. He found the spirit of 
sectarianism very bitter in this part of the country. He 
invited to the communion table members of different 
branches of the Presbyterian Church. This produced 
such a feeling in the Presbytery and Synod that he with- 
drew and preached the gospel to large crowds in groves 
and private houses and pleaded for union on the word of 
God. He organized the Christian Association in Wash- 
ington, Pennsylvania, in 1809. The object of this Asso- 
ciation was to promote Christianity as it is taught in the 
Scriptures. It was in no sense considered a Church. The 
Association appointed a committee to prepare a statement 
for the public. Thomas Campbell was a member of this 
committee and wrote the address. It was given to the 
public under the title, ''A Declaration and Address." This 
document discarded all human creeds and speculations of 
men as tests of fellowship, and appealed directly to what 
is found written on the sacred page. In discussing the 
principles of the address, Thomas Campbell uttered his 
famous motto : ''Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; 
and where the Scriptures are silent, zve are silent/' 

2. Alexander Campbell, who had been preparing for the 
ministry in the University at Glasgow, Scotland, came to 
America just as the "Declaration and Address" came 
from the press. When he read the position which his 
father had taken, he said that infant baptism must be 
abandoned, if the Bible should be taken as the only book 
of authority. His father replied, ''We make our appeal 
to the law and to the testimony. Whatever is not found 
therein we must, of course, abandon." I n 1811, the Brush 
Run Church was organized. In this church, A. Campbell 
was ordained to the ministry, January 1, 1812. Shortly 



— 73 — 

after his ordination, he became disturbed on the question 
of baptism. His careful study of the Scriptures convinced 
him that the apostles practiced immersion and only bap- 
tized those who were old enough to believe and repent. 
He made known his convictions to his father, so he and 
his father and five others were baptized in Buffalo Creek 
on a simple confession of their faith in Christ, by Mathias 
Luse, June 14, 1812. From this time forvvard A. Camp- 
bell became the leader in the great work of restoring 
primitive Christianity. The Brush Run Church submitted 
to immersion and adopted weekly communion. They had 
no creed but Christ and no book of authority but the Bi- 
ble. They found no authority for restricted communion, 
and therefore did not practice it, yet the Baptists urged 
them to make a^pplication for membership in the Redstone 
Baptist Association. After much prayerful consideration 
the application was made, with the understanding that 
they were to be free from all confessions of faith, and 
should enjoy the privilege of preaching whatever they 
learned from the Holy Scriptures. These terms were 
stated to the Association in writing and the church was 
received. At this period, A. Campbell expressed his re- 
ligious views as follows : ''I am now an independent in 
church government and a Baptist in so far as it respects 
baptism.'' He did not accept the Philadelphia Confes- 
sion of Faith, but was willing to fellowship those 
who believed it, as long as they would not try to compel 
him to believe it. 

3. In 1816, A. Campbell preached before the Redstone 
Association his memorable ''Sermon on the Law," taking 
for his text Romans 8 :3. In this discourse he drew a clear 
distinction between the law and the Gospel. This was not 
just what the Baptists had been preaching, and they began 
to accuse him of heresy. The lay members were pleased 
with his simple w^ay of presenting the truth, but the 



— 74 — 

preachers said, ''This will never do." This is not our doc- 
trine." So at the next meeting of the Association, charges 
of heresy were preferred against him. He was acquitted 
of the charges, but persecution and misrepresentation con- 
tinued, and finally he withdrew from the Redstone As- 
sociation and united with the Mahoning Association, 
which was more in harmony with his views. In 1827, he 
was appointed corresponding messenger from the Mahon- 
ing Association to the Redstone Association. As his let- 
ter of greeting made no reference to the Philadelphia 
Confession, his enemies opposed his reception, but thirteen 
out of the twenty-three churches in the Association were 
in sympathy with him. The ten churches which opposed 
him declared non-fellowship with the thirteen, and organ- 
ized themselves upon the basis of the Philadelphia Con- 
fession. The thirteen churches then organized a new As- 
sociation and stated in their constitution, ''We receive the 
Scriptures as the only rule of faith and practice to all the 
Churches of Christ." On page 565, of Fisher's "Church 
History," we find the following statement : "The dissent 
of Campbell and his followers from some of the opinions 
of the Baptists led, in 1827, to his exclusion from their 
fellowship." This is not true. Campbell was never, ex- 
cluded from any church or association. The Mahoning 
Association was faithful to him and his views. He might 
have been excluded by ten of the twenty-three churches 
in the Redstone Association, had he remained a while 
longer. He and his sympathizers were denounced by the 
Baptists who were wedded to the Philadelphia Confession 
of Faith. In 1831, the followers of Stone and Campbell 
were united in Lexington, Kentucky. 

4. A. Campbell had great influence upon the public 
mind in his oral and written discussions, through the 
"Christian Baptist," and the "Millennial Harbinger." His 
services were demanded in many sections of the country, 



'75 — 



and he made many long journeys and influenced multi- 
tudes to discard human creeds and accept primitive Chris- 
tianity. In 1840, he founded Bethany College,, and pre- 
sided over it for over a quarter of a century. Man> 
strong men were sent out from Bethany, and they greatly 
advanced the cause, both by teaching and preaching. A 
few years since, the ''New York Independent" said. 
"There is not a religious body in the United States, 
whether it would confess it or not, that has not been mod- 
ified both in spirit and teaching by the influence of Alex- 
ander Campbell." On Lord's Day, March 4, 1866, he 
passed away. His wife said to him shortly before he 
breathed his last, ''The blessed Savioi' will go with you 
through the valley of the shadow of death." He replied, 
"That he will, that he will." 

5. The Campbells were greatly assisted by Walter 
Scott, who was sent out as an evangelist by the Mahoning 
Association in 1827. He made a thousand converts the 
first year. He was the first one of the reformers to present 
faith, repentance, baptism, remission of sins, and the gift 
of the Holy Spirit in their scriptural order. Thomas 
Campbell freely acknowledged his indebtedness to Walter 
Scott for light upon the order in which the terms of sal- 
vation are presented in the Bible. 
IV. — Have the Disciples anything to surrender? 

1. If there is anything which they make a test of fel- 
lowship which has come directly or indirectly from the 
Roman Catholic Church, they should surrender it at oncei 

2. If they require anything w^hich is hot taught in the 
Holy Scriptures, they should abandon it without any hesi- 
tation. 

3. The Disciples stand on common ground. There is 
nothing which they make a test of fellowship which is in 
question by any of the great Protestant bodies. All of 
the Churches which are called orthodox agree that Christ 



— 76 — 

is divine, that the Bible contains the word of God, that 
there is no harm in weekly communion, that it is right to 
wear the scriptural names, that the immersion of the peni- 
tent believer is scriptural baptism, and that Christ re- 
quires his disciples to live godly lives. But there is end- 
less controversy over human creeds, human names, infant 
baptism, sprinkling, and the power to legislate which 
many religious bodies have assumed. All of the 
former are clearly taught in the New Testament » but 
all of the latter, except the human names, have 
been borrowed from the Roman Catholic Church. The 
Disciples have been pleading from the beginning that 
it is the duty of Protestants to eliminate their differences 
and unite on their agreements, and answer the Savior's 
prayer (John 17:20, 21), and they have grown more 
rapidly than any other religious movement since the 
apostolic age. They number nearly 1,500,000 in the 
United States, and we predict will be the means of solv- 
ing the problem of church union by the close of the 
twentieth century. We can not understand how those 
who have been freed from ecclesiastical and creed bond- 
age can ever take membership in Churches which have 
in their government, creeds, and practice things which 
have been borrowed from the Roman Catholic Church. 
Disciples should not do so. Let the relics of Catholicism 
be laid aside and the great Protestant bodies unite on 
their agreements, and the Disciples, as a body, can con- 
sistently unite with them, but until this is done, they can 
not do so without taking a step toward Rome. 



^77 — 



WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? 
Text— Acts 16:30. 
I. — Saved from what? 

1. Not death (Heb. 9:27). 

2. Not persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). 

3. Not from the judgment (Rom. 14:10). 

4. Saved from sin (Matthew 1:21). 

II. — The terms of salvation in the commission, 

1. Matt. 28:19. 

2. Mark 16:15, 16. 

3. Luke 24 :46, 47. 

III. — How did the apostles preach under this commis- 
sion f 

1. Acts 2:38; 8:12, 38; 9:11, 18^ 

2. Acts 10:30, 43, 48; 16:30-33. 

3. Acts 22:16; 26:20. 

4. Rom. 6:3, 4; 10:9, 10. 

IV. — Show hozv often faith, repentance, prayer, confes- 
sion and baptism are mentioned in the above 
Scriptures, 

Baptism 

Baptism 



1. 


Matt. 28:19. 


• . • • 


2. 


Mark 16:15, 16. 


Faith 


3- 


Luke 24:46, 47. 


.... 


4- 


Acts 2:38. 


.... 


'^^ 


Acts 8:12. 


Faith 


6. 


Acts 8:37-39. 


Faith 


7. 


Acts 9:11,18, 


.... 


8. 


Acts 10:30,43,48 


Faith 


Q. 


Acts 16:30-33. 


Faith 


10> 


. Acts 22:16. 


.... 


II. 


Acts 26:20. 


.... 


12. 


Rom. 6:3, 4. 


.... 


13. 


Rom. 10:9, 10. 


Faith 



Repentance 
Repentance 



Repentance 



Prayer 
Prayer 

Prayer 



Confession 



Confession 



Baptism 
Baptism 
Baptism 
Baptism 
Baptism 
Baptism 
Baptism 

Baptism 



6 3 .3 2 10 

Baptism is mentioned oftener than faith, repentance, 
prayer, or confession. How can anyone say that it has 
nothing to do with remission of sins? The blood of 
Christ cleanses us from sin, but we are to believe, re- 
pent, pray, confess Christ, and be baptized in order to 
be saved through his blood. Those who comply with 



— 78 — 

all these conditions can rest on God's promise that their 
sins are pardoned. If anyone was ever pardoned before 
baptism after Christ gave the great commission, the 
writers of the New Testament failed to make any record 
of it. Baptism is the last step which the sinner takes 
in coming into the kingdom, therefore he is baptized 
into Christ, Gal. 3 :27. We do not contend that baptism 
is more important than faith or repentance, but there 
is no scriptural authority for saying that it is less im- 
portant. 

THE RENT VAIL. 
Text— Matt. 27:51. 

I. — The temple., 

1. The temple was the building in which the Jews 
worshiped. When they were not in Jerusalem, they 
were to pray toward Jerusalem and the temple (1 Kings 
8:48; Dan. 6:10). 

2. The holy place was a type of the Church. 

3. The most holy place was a type of heaven (Heb. 
6:19, 20; 9:8, 24). 

4. The vail which hung between the holy place and 
most holy place was a type of Christ's body (Heb. 
10:20). 

11. — Why was the vail rent?. 

1. There was no clear way from earth to heaven made 
manifest Under the Old Covenant. There is not much 
said of a future life in the Old Testament. 

2. Christ's death opened up the new and living way 
(Heb. 10:20). 

3. Jesus has gone within the vail, into heaven itself, 
just as the high priest went within the vail of the temple. 
The vail was rent to signify that the death of Jesus made 
manifest the way to heaven. 



— 79 — 

III. — The results of the rending- of the vail. 

1. The people were taught that the temple service had 
come to an end. 

2. That the Old . Covenant was to give way to the 
New Covenant (Heb. 10:9; Col. 2:13-17). 

3. Those who accepted Christ were not under the 
Law of Moses (Rom. 7:4; Gal. 3:24, 25). 

IV. — Ifzve. keep in mind all that zi^as accomplished when 
the vail was rent, we can explain statements in 
the New Testament, zvhich will otherwise he dark. 

1. When Jesus sent out his twelve disciples the first 
time, he told them not to go to the Gentiles or the 
Samaritans, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel 
(Matt. 10:5, 6). This was before the vail was rent and 
the Old Covenant was still in force. 

2. Jesus forgave sins without requiring the terms of 
the commission (Mark 2:5; Luke 7:47-49), but it was 
under the Law of Moses. It w^as before Christ was cru- 
cified and before the great commission was given. 

3. The thief on the cross was saved just before the vail 
was rent, and if people would remember that Christ's 
death was the dividing line between the Old and New 
Covenants, they would have no trouble in understand- 
ing why the thief was not required to be baptized. 

4. The wwds in Matt. 28:19,' Mark 16:15, 16, were 
uttered on this side of the Cross, and all who are on 
this side of the cross are to obey them in order to re- 
ceive the forgiveness of their past sins. 

THINGS WHICH ABIDE. 
Text— 1 Cor. 13:13. 
I. — Importance of faith. 

1. Faith is the ground of things hoped for (Heb. 
11:1). 



— 80 — 

2. We can not please God without faith (Ileb. 
11:6:). 

3. Faith is the shield over the armour (Eph. 6:16). 

4. We .are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1). 

5. We walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). 

* 'Faith wings the soul beyond the sky, 
Up to that better world on high 
For which we wait." 
II. — Importance of hope. 

1. Hope means desire and expectation. 

2. We rejoice in hope (Rom. 12:12). 

3. We are saved by hope (Rom. 8:24). * 

4. Hope is the anchor of the soul (Heb. 6:19). 
III. — Tell why love is the greatest. 

1. Faith and hope will cease, but love will endure for- 
ever. Faith will be swallowed up in sight and hope in 
fruition when we get home to heaven, but love will re- 
main with us. 

2. God is love, but he is not faith or hope. 

3. Love moved God to send Christ (John 3:16). 

4. Love has more power to move us than faith or 
hope. Love once moved a mother to the top of a 
mountain to rescue her babe from an eagle when it 
seemed impossible for any human being to ascend that 
mountain. 

IV. — More love is needed in our churches, 

1. It will even strengthen our faith and hope (1 Cor, 
13:7). 

2. It will make all of our services joyous, 

3. It will be a foretaste of heaven when we can see 
God's children filled with love. *'He's an heir of heaven 
that finds his bosom glow with love." 

4. The Holy Spirit gives us love (Rom. 5:5), and we 
get the Holy Spirit by obedience and adoption (Act:5. 
5:32; Gal. 4:5, 6). 



— 81-^ 

CONVICTION. 
Text — John 8 :46. 
I. — The follonnng Scriptures properly translated will 
throzv light on the subject: 

1. 1 Cor. 14:24; Tit. 1:9; Jas. 2:9. 

2. Acts 18:28; Jude 15. 

3. Luke 3:19; John 3:20; 16:8; Eph. 5:11, 13; 2 
Tim. 4:2. ' 

11. — How are people convicted? 

1. By the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). 

2. Through the word which is the sword of the 
Spirit (Acts 2:37; 18:28). 

3. It is a great pleasure to see how all- are gradually 
coming to the same conclusion on this subject. The old 
theory that the Spirit convicts without the word is 
largely abandoned. 

4. How do missionaries convict the heathen? 

5. After one is enlightened by the gospel, his con- 
science testifies that he is a sinner (Acts 9:1-9). 
III. — Convictions must not be stifled, 

1. We should have right ideas of God's truth. 

2. We should investigate all subjects (1 Thess. 5:21). 

3. We must be true to our convictions until they are 
changed. 

4. It is a very serious thing for one to have correct 
ideas of right and not be true to his convictions. 

IV. — The lack of conviction, 

1. The temperance people must have deeper convic- 
tions before the liquor traffic will suffer much at their 
hands. 

2. In many of our churches there is a sad lack of 
conviction in regard to church discipline. 1 Cor. 5 :7, 
13 ; 2 Thess. 3 :6, need to be carefully studied by every 
Christian. 

3. A large percent of the members in the denomina- 
6 



— 82 — 

tions have no conviction in regard to what Church is 
right. They are in the Church where their parents are, 
or where they find the most congenial society. 

4. There was a time when nearly all who took their 
stand with the Disciples of Christ did so from convic- 
tion, but now, in some places, many come on account of 
the society and are ready to leave as soon as things do 
not go to suit them. Some of our young people are in 
our churches because their parents are there and have 
the idea that one church is as good as another. There 
never was a time when the difference between Chris- 
tianity and sectarianism needed to be taught more than 
now. The Christian Endeavor movement will not 
be the benefit to our young people that is intended 
unless they are taught to discriminate between Nevv 
Testament Christianity and modern sectarianism. 

5. The person who is without conviction is like a ship 
without a rudder. 

CONCIvUSlON. 

Let our convictions grow deeper and let us stand by 
them unflinchingly. Those who are not true to their 
convictions will soon reach the point where the gospel 
will have no influence upon them. 

CHILDREN. 
Text — Eph. 5:L 
L — Children in the Old Testament, 

It is interesting to read the history of Joseph and 
Benjamin. 

2. No doubt many mothers have shed tears while 
reading the history of the child Moses (Ex. 2:2-10). 

3. The story of Samuel is touching (1 Sam. 1:24-28; 
3:1-21). 



-83 — 

4. Broken-hearted parents have often taken comfort 
from the words of David (2 Sam. 12:23). 
II. — Children in the New Testament. 

1. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is the one 
Hke a little child (Matt. 18:1-5). 

2. Of such is the kingdom of heaven(Matt.l9:13-15). 

3. Jesus blessed the little children (Mark 10:16). 

4. Simeon took the child Jesus in his arms (Luke 
2:28). 

III. — The cruel treatment of children. 

1. When we see how a large portion of the parents in 
Christian America treat their children, we are not aston- 
ished that so many boys and girls are out of the Church. 

2. ''In Sparta only sturdy boys were esteemed of 
value, and they, because they would make soldiers, while 
it was allowable to put female infants and the weak and 
maimed to death" ("The Way to Win,'' p. 200). 

3. If we had no other reason for sending the gospel to 
India, the cruel treatment of children over there would 
be sufficient. It is strange how any parent can read the 
history of that benighted people and not favor sending 
them the gospel to lift them up. From our standpoint, 
the work which is being done among the children in In- 
dia is the most important of all. 

IV. — What great people have thought of children? 

1. When Michael Angelo was at the zenith of his 
fame, and popes and emperors were willing to pay fab- 
ulous prices for his work, a little boy with an old pencil 
and a piece of dirty brown paper met him in the street 
and asked him for a picture. Angelo took the materials, 
went to the side of the street, sat down on the curbstone, 
and drew his little admirer a picture. 

2. Wellington once met a little boy who was crying 
bitterly, and asked what w^as the matter, and the boy 



— 84 — 

said, 'We are going to move, and I don't know what 
will become of my tame toad." Wellington said, "Never 
mind, I will take care of your toad,'' and he kept his 
word and wrote to the boy regularly, stating that the 
toad was well. Wellington was a much greater man 
when he let his heart go out in sympathy for that little 
boy than he was when he defeated Napoleon at Wa- 
terloo. 

3. Robert Southey said, ''When I was a little boy in 
Bristol, I was running down a flight of steps with my 
little sister, a beautiful girl with flowing ringlets. John 
Wesley took her up in his arms and kissed her and 
blessed her, and then he laid his hand upon my head 
and blessed me. I feel as if I had the blessing of that 
man upon me yet." 

4. Lincoln, Garfield, Beecher and Moody were all lov- 
ers of children. Theodore Parker said, "A baby is better 
for the heart than a whole academy of philosophers." 

5. It is said that Dickens wrote the following lines and 
put them in an envelope, to be read by his children after 
he was gone : 

^'Children, they are idols of hearts and of households, 
They are angels of God in disg-uise, 
His sunshine still sleeps in their tresses, 
His glory still beams in their eyes. 

Oh, those shouts from home and from heaven ! 
They have made me more manly and mild, 
And I know hovv^ Jesus could liken 
The kingdom of God to a child. 

My heart grows as tender as a woman's. 
And the fountains of feeling will flow, 
When I think of the paths, steep and stony, 
Where the feet of the dear ones must go. 



— 85 — 

Oh, those mountains of sin that o'erhang them ! 
And the tempest of fate blowing wild, 
For there is nothing on earth half so holy 
As the innocent heart of a child." 

V. — The relation af the children to the Church. 

1. They are to be brought up in the nurture and ad- 
monition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). 

2. The only hope for the future of the Church is in 
the children. In a few years the children of to-day will 
be in control of both Church and State. 

3. Children should come into the Church as soon as 
they can understand enough to confess Christ and obey 
him. Our dear little Florence confessed Christ and was 
immersed into him the day we preached this sermon, 
March 6, 1898, and nine months and one day later she 
went to be with Jesus. We have evidence that during 
her short Christian life she influenced others to become 
Christians. We recently immersed one of her school- 
mates who first came to the church on her invitation. 

4. As a rule, those who come into the Church early in 
life make the best Christians. Polycarp was converted 
when he was nine, Matthew Henry at eleven. Dr. Watts 
at nine, Spurgeon at fifteen, and during his pastorate in 
London he received about fifty as young, or younger, into 
the Church each year, not one of whom he ever had to 
expel. 

THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

Text— 1 Cor. 11:23-26. 

L — The need of some token by which to reniember im- 
portant events. 
1. The bow was set in the cloud to remind Noah of 
the covenant which God had made with him (Gen. 9:11- 
14). 



— 86 — 

2. The Passover was instituted that the children of 
Israel might remember that the Lord passed over their 
houses in Egypt and did not sufifer their first-born chil- 
dren to be smitten (Ex. 12:24, 25). 

3. The Lord's Supper was given to remind the disci- 
ples of Christ's death (Luke 22 :19, 20). 

IL — Who are to partake of the Lord's Supper? 

L Jesus instituted the supper for his disciples. No one 
will question the fact that all true Christians in the an- 
cient Churches were entitled to the communion. 

2. In the Corinthian Church, each man was to examine 
himself (1 Cor. 11:28). 

3. An unworthy person should not commune (1 Cor. 
11:27,29). 

4. Our good Baptist brethren are modifying their 
views of close communion, and we have no doubt that 
they will eventually eliminate it from their teaching and 
allow Paul's language in the above Scriptures to settle 
the whole question. 

III. — How often should the Lord's Supper he celebrated f. 

1. We will certainly make no mistake by communing 
as often as did the ancient disciples. 

The disciples at Troas communed on the first day of 
the week (Acts 20:7). It has been said that this Scrip- 
ture does not say that they met on the first day of every 
week, but we contend that an unbiased mind which is 
capable of ascertaining the meaning of language will 
conclude, after carefully studying this statement, that the • 
disciples at Troas met on the first day of the week to 
break bread as often as the first day of the week came. 
The Israelites were commanded to keep the Sabbath, and 
were told that the seventh day of the week was the Sab- 
bath (Ex. 20 :8-10) . Did they get the idea that they were 
to keep the seventh day once in a month or once in three 
months? They had just as much reason for coming to 



— 87 — 

such a conclusion as people have now for conclud- 
ing from Acts 20:7 that once a month, or twice in 
three months, is often enough to meet together to 
break bread. 

3. Uninspired writers testify that the ancient churches 
communed every Lord's day. This custom continued 
until some time in the fourth century. The great and 
eloquent Chrysostom bitterly exclaimed against those who 
had given up weekly communion. He said that they were 
guilty of the highest contempt of God and Christ, and 
calls their practice a most wicked custom. 

4. In a letter to America in 1784 John Wesley said: 
''I also advise the elders to administer the supper of the 
Lord on every Lord's Day.'' 

John Calvin said, ''And truly this custom, which en- 
joins communicating once a year, is a most wicked con- 
trivance of the devil, by whose instrumentality soever it 
may have been determined." Again he said, ''It ought to 
have been far otherwise. Every week at least the table 
of the Lord should have been spread for Christian assem- 
blies, and the promises declared by which, in partaking 
of it, we might be spiritually fed." There is just as much 
evidence that the ancient Christians communed every 
Lord's Day as there is that they meet every Lord's Day. 

• IV. — The primary object of the meeting of the disciples 
at Troas was to break bread. 

1. In Heb. 10:25, the disciples were taught not to for- 
sake the assembling of themselves together. 

2. In Acts 20:7, it is clearly stated when to assemble 
and for what purpose. 

3. Any one who willfully forsakes the Lord's table, 
willfully disobeys divine authority. 

4. Those who half appreciate the agony of Christ on 
the Cross will gladly assemble on the first day of the 



— 88 — 

week to proclaim his death by partaking of the emblems 
of his broken body and shed blood. 

5. How can members of the Church of Christ unite 
with churches which only commune once a month, or 
once in three months ? By so doing they turn their backs 
on the Lord's table every Lord's Day, except one in a 
month, or one in three months. We believe that those 
who fully tmderstand the plea of the Disciples, and are 
thoroughly conscientious, will not do so, even for the 
sake of a husband or a wife. 

SAVED BY GRACE. 

Text— Eph. 2 :8, 9. 

I. — Notice what the Scriptures say of grace. 
\. In the Bible the word means favor. 

2. See Gen. 6 :8 ; 39 :4 ; Ex. 33 :13 ; Prov. 3 :34. 

3. John 1:17; Rom. 6:14. 

4. 2 Cor. 8 :9 ; 12 :9 ; Eph. 1 :7 ; Col. 3 :16 ; 2 Tim. 2 :1 ; 
Tit. 2:11; 3:7;.Heb. 2:9; 10:29; 2 Pet. 3:18. 

IL — Explain the text. 

1. The gift of God is salvation, and not faith, as some* 
have supposed. The Greek word here rendered ''faith" 
is in the feminine gender, and the word rendered ''gift" 
is in the neuter gender. The pronoun ''it," which is here 
understood, could not refer to a word in the feminine 
gender as its antecedent. The ninth verse wshows clearly 
that salvation is the gift of God. 

2. We are saved by grace through faith (Rom. 5:2; 
Heb. 4:16; 1:6). 

3. Faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17). 
IIL — In what sense are zve not saved by works f 

1. We are not saved by works of the law of Mose§ 
(Rom, 3;27, 28) 



— 89 - 

2. The apostle teaches that Christians are to do good 
works (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:12). 

3. Salvation is by grace, but faith and works are nec- 
essary to bring us to the grace which comes through the 
sacrifice of Christ. The father of President Arthur once 
said in a sermon : 'We are not saved by our works, but 
we should do them with as much earnestness as if they 
did save us/' In one sense we are saved by works and 
in another sense we are not. It is certain that we can not 
be saved without works, but the one who fully appreciates 
the favor God has bestowed will not be inclined to attrib- 
ute his salvation to his own works. It is not the taking 
of medicine which cures a disease, but the medicine will 
not cure unless it is taken. It is food that sustains 
the body, but it will never sustain the body until it is 
eaten. 

IV. — Grace causes us to do good works. 

1. Children do good work in school because they are 
promised some favor. 

2. When we see God's favor, we are more likely to do 
as he requires 

3. Grace caused Paul to labor (1 Cor. 15:10). 

4. Grace teaches us how to live (Tit. 2:11, 12). 

V. — Grace influences us to favor each other on the fol- 
lowing conditions: 

1. If we appreciate its richness (Eph. 1:7). 

2. If we are strong in grace (2 Tim. 2:1). 

3. If we are often found at the throne (Heb. 4:16). 

4. If we are growing in grace (2 Pet. 3:18). 

THE BIRTHRIGHT SOLD. 

Text— Heb. 12:16, 17. 

Esau's selling his birthright is mentioned in the Hebrew 
ktter, but nowhere else in the New Testament, The 



— 90 — 

Hebrews were familiar with the Old Testament and knew 
the fate of Esau. This lesson meant more to them than 
it would have meant to Gentile Christians. 

I. — A brief history of Esau and Jacob. 

1. They lived about eighteen hundred years B. C. 

2. Esau was a cunning hunter, and Jacob was a tiller 
of the soil. 

3. Isaac loved Esau, and Rebecca loved Jacob. 

4. Esau sold Jacob his birthright for a single mess of 
pottage. 

5. Jacob and his brother deceived Isaac, and Jacob 
received Esau's blessing. Esau was called Edom (Gen. 
36:1). 

II. — The birthright, 

1. Birthright means the privileges which belong to the 
firstborn. In the case of Esau those privileges were 
great. 

2. If Esau had not sold Jiis birthright he would have 
been the father of the Jewish nation instead of Jacob. 
His seed would have inherited the land of Canaan. 

3. Esau's name would have been in the genealogy of 
Christ instead of Jacob's, if he had not sold his birthright. 

4. Jacob's name appears many times in the Bible where 
Esau's would have appeared but for this transaction. 
III. — The character of the two men, 

1. Esau was a man whose great aim was to satisfy his 
present desires, but did not see far into the future. 

2. He showed an impulsive nature. He purposed to 
kill Jacob for taking advantage of him, but after having 
had time to reflect he did not do so. This shows that 
he had a forgiving spirit. 

3. Jacob vvas what the world would now call a shrewd 
man. His supplanting Esau was very mean. In many 
respects he was a much w^orse man than Esau. He vowed 



— 91 — 

that he would worship God on conditions (Gen. 28:20, 
21). ''There is a spirit of dickering in his piety" (Isaac 
Errett). 

4. It was only after he wrestled with the angel and 
learned his own helplesness that he became anything 
like worthy of the position which he occupies in the Bible, 

IV. — Our spiritual birthplace. 

1. We are Abraham's seed (Gal. 3:7, 29). 

2. All can have the spiritual birthright, but only one 
could have the family birthright. 

3. We are born again (John 3:5: 1 Pet. 1 :23). 

4. A grand inheritance is promised us (1 Pet. 1:4). 

5. Will we sell it? Will we endanger it? If we in 
any way lose our spiritual birthright, our names will 
be erased from the book of life. It is said that years 
ago, when a man decided to come from the old country 
to the new, he was afraid to risk bringing a draft on any 
of the banks of this country, and invested his wealth in 
a diamond and intended to sell it after his arrival. On 
the ocean, he was throwing apples over the railing of 
the ship and catching them, which he could do with much 
skill, and attracted the attention of the passengers. He 
was so skilled that he never let a single apple fall into 
the ocean He then took his diamond and began to throw 
it up and catch it. The passengers advised him not to 
endanger his fortune that way, but he was so confident 
that he paid no attention to them. Finally he tossed it 
up and it went into the water. As he was careless with 
his diamond, so are thousands with their spiritual birth- 
rights. It is sad to see people refuse to become Abraham's 
seed, but it is sadder to see those who are in Christ sell 
their birthrights. Let those who think they stand take 
heed lest they fall (1 Cor, 10:12). 



— 92 — 
POLICY. 

Text— 1 Cor. 9:19-23. 

I — What does the zvord ''policy'' mean? 

1. ''The settled method by which the government and 
affairs of a nation are, or may be, administered." 

2. ''Management or administration based on temporal 
or material interest, rather than on principles of equity 
or honor." 

3. "Prudence or wisdom in the management of oub- 
lic and private affairs." 

II. — According to the last definition, policy is right. 

1. Paul means nearly the same thing in 1 Cor. 10:23. 

2. Jesus taught wisdom (Matt. 10:16). 

3. Paul used policy when he preached at Athens (Acts 
17:22-31). 

4. The text shows the necessity of policy. 

III. — According to the second definition, policy is zvrong, 

1. This seems to be a day of policy without regard 
to principle with a large number of people who claim to 
be Christians. Preachers often wink at sin for the sake 
of popularity. 

2. The policy used by politicians is not always based 
on principle and honor. They too often wink at corrup- 
tion for the sake of votes. 

3. Too many business men wink at saloons for the sake 
of trade. 

4. Paul never used policy when it conflicted with prin- 
ciple. In becommg all things to all men he never took 
part in their sins. 

IV. — Let us use policy as Paul used it, 

1. As individuals, we need not arouse the prejudice^ 
pf people when we are trying to te^ch them Christianity^. 



— 93 — 

2. In our business we should even sacrifice a little for 
the purpose of winning worldly people to Christ. 

3. As a Church we can not afford to do anything 
which is questionable. 'Tut the eye of the serpent in the 
head of the dove.'' 

4. Paul's great object in becoming all things to men 
was that he might win them to Christ. 

CONCI.USION. 

Who can tell how Christianity has been retarded b> 
church members w4io have been controlled too much by 
the wrong kind of policy ? 

Who can tell how much the Church has been injured 
because Christians have not used enough of the right 
kind of policy? 

JUSTIFICATION. 
Text— Acts 13:39. 

1. — What IS meant by justification? 

1. The Greek w^ord means to hold guiltless. 

2. It means acquittal. 

3. Those who are justified are pardoned. 

4. Those who are justified are sanctified (1 Cor. 6:11), 

II. — Justification by faith, 

1. We are justified by faith and not by the law of 
Moses (Rom. 3:27, 28; 5:1). 

2. The Augsburg Confession, the Creed of the Church 
of England, and the Methodist Discipline teach that we 
are justified by faith only. 

3. The Scriptures require both faith and works, and 
we should give the Scriptures the preference (Jas. 2:14- 
24). 



— 94 — 

III. — A nmnher of things are said to justify us, 

1. We are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1). 

2. We are justified by Christ (Acts 13:39). 

3. We are justified by the blood of Christ (Rom. 5 :9). 

4. We are justified by the name of Jesus and the Spirit 
of God (1 Cor. 6:11). 

5. We are justified by grace (Tit. 3:7). 

6. We are justified by works (Jas. 2:24). 

7. God justifies us (Rom. 8:33). 

IV. — We must continue to be justified, 

1. When one is acquitted for the first time he is 
supremely happy. 

2. We can continue to be justified, if we live up to our 
privileges. 

3. Are we justified now? If we can be justified during 
life, in death, and at the judgment bar, we will need noth- 
ing more. 

INFLUENCE AFTER DEATH. 
Text— Heb. 11:4. 

I. — The influence of Abel. 

. I. His influence for good is great because he lived 
when the flesh was triumphant, and it took a great deal of 
courage to do right. 

2. He is always well spoken of in the Bible (Gen. 4:4; 
Matt. 23:35). 

3. His offering the sacrifice by faith was placed on 
record, and through it he spoke to all who learned of it, 
down to Paul's time. Paul emphasized his faith and obe- 
dience, and a good influence has come down through 
eighteen centuries to us. This one act of faith will con- 
tinue to influence the world until time shall end. 



— 95 — 



11. — The influence of other Bible characters. 

1. Abraham's offering Isaac has influenced people from 
the days of Abraham until the present time, and will con- 
tinue to do so as long as the world stands. 

2. The fact that Enoch and Elijah walked with God 
has influenced thousands to do the same. 

3. Moses is still speaking through his meekness, Job 
through his patience, and Solomon through his wisdom. 

4. David and Jonathan are still speaking to the world 
through their friendship, and Daniel is still speaking 
through his heroism. 

III. — The influence of the reformers since their death. 

1. Luther's boldness influenced many during his life, 
but has influenced many more since his death. 

2. The piety of Wesley reached but few during his life, 
compared with the number who are now under its in- 
fluence. 

3. Alexander Campbell's Bible knowledge reached a 
few thousand before his death, but now it is rapidly in- 
fluencing the entire religious world, and we are confident 
that before the twentieth century shall have closed he 
will stand head and shoulders above all other reformers. 
IV. — The great statesmen speak after their death. 

1. The patriotism of Washington still lives. 

2. The statesmanship of Webster, Clay, Blaine, Glad- 
stone and Garfield will increase in influence as the years 
go by. 

3. The world is just beginning to appreciate the wis- 
dom and foresight of Abraham Lincoln. 

V. — New Testament characters. 

1. Never before were so many influenced by the logic* 
of Paul as at the present time. 

•2. The love of John is gradually finding its way into 
the hearts of the people in all countries. 



— 96 — 

3. The enthusiasm of Peter to-day is influencing thou- 
sands to help evangelize the world. 

4. It seems that Christ did not wish much influence 
during his life. He told his disciples to tell no one what 
they learned until after he was raised from the dead 
(Matt. 17:9). When he left the world he had but few 
disciples, but his influence began to be felt immediately 
and multitudes confessed and obeyed him. Who can tell 
the measure of his influence in the world to-day? His 
influence will extend until all earthly kingdoms are 
merged into his kingdom. 

CONCIvUSION. 

It has never dawned upon some that their influence will 
live after they are gone, and their attention should be 
called to it at once. 

What has been our influence in the past? If all had 
done as we have done, what would have been the result ? 

What will our influence be during the remainder of 
our lives? 



GOD'S COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT GRIEVOUS. 

Text — 1 John 5:3. 

I. — The commands zvhich require the most sacrifice are 
not grievous to those zvho correctly understand God's 
authority, 

1. Abraham did not consider it too much to offer Isaac. 

2. The command of Naaman to dip in the Jordan to 
cleanse his leprosy was not grievous when he understood^ 
God^s authority. 

3. The reason why the rich young man was sorrowful 
when he was told to sell all he had was because his heart 
was not right (Luke 18:22, 23). 



97 — 

11. — The ten commands zvere not grievous to those who 
wished to do right, 

1. Every man ought to be glad to keep himself from 
idols. 

2. It was a great benefit to the Jews to keep the seventh 
day. 

3. To be free from murder, stealing, falsehood and 
covetousness should be the delight of every man. 

4. All good sons and daughters are glad to honor their 
parents. 

III. — The commands which the alien must obey to come 
into Christ should not be considered grievous. 

1. To read and hear the gospel does not require much 
of an effort. 

2. To be required to believe in Christ is not grievous. 

3. Repentance and reformation are for the good of the 
sinner. 

4. It is a great privilege to be allowed to pray. 

5. All should take pleasure in confessing Christ. 

6. It is not grievous to be immersed when the candi • 
date is in the proper frame of mind. Too many look 
at baptism from a human standpoint and conclude that 
the requirement is too great. They should read the ad- 
vice that Naaman received from his servants (2 Kings 
5:13). 

IV. — The commands zvhich are given to Christians are 
not grievous unless we make them so, 

1. To love God and man should be considered a joy- 
ous command. 

2. To worship God in prayer and song wnll make us 
happy. 

3. To meet every Xord's Day to remember Christ's suf- 
fering is a very small duty when we consider what Jesus 

has done for us. 
(7) 



— 98— . 

4. To be humble, do those things which are of good 
report, and keep ourselves unspotted from the world will 
not be considered grievous by those who see the good re- * 
suits which will follow. 

5. To observe the golden rule^ and even to love our . 
enemies, will not appear grievous to those who under- 
stand and appreciate the genius of Christianity. 

CONCI.USION. 

This is the love of God that we keep his command- 
ments. Let us not make the commandments burden- 
some by allowing things of the world to come between 
us and God, 

"Better to weave in the web of life a bright and golden filling, 
And do God's will with a ready heart and with hands that are 

swift and willing, 
Than to snap the tender, delicate threads of our curious lives 

asunder, 
And then blame heaven for the tangled ends, and sit and grieve 

and wonder." 

THE DEATH OF CHRIST. 
Text— Rom. 5:8. 

I. — The sinful side of Chrisfs death, 

1. It was wrong for Judas to betray him. 

2. It was very wrong for the Jews to get false wit- 
nesses to testify against him. 

3. It was wicked to have an innocent man put to death 
and a murderer released. 

4. The treatment which Jesus received while on the 
Cross. was very cruel. 

II. — The divine side of Chrisfs death, 

1. God knew what the Jews would do and sent Jesus 
to suffer death at their hands. 



_99 — 

2. His death was foretold (Isa. 53:3-12). 

3. See John 3:16, 17; Gal. 4:4, 5; Rom. 8:32; Heb. 
2:9. 

III. — Christ was willing to die, 

1. John 10:15, 17, 18; 15:13. 

2. See Matt. 26:53; John 18:11. 

3. He came to do his Father's will, and his Father 
willed that he die. 

4. He did not resist when he was taken, and would not 
allow Peter to use the sword. 

IV. — What was accomplished in his death? 

1. The earth did quake and the rocks were rent. 

2. His death did away with the Old Covenant (Col. 
2:14. 

3. His death atoned for sin (Matt. 26:28; Rom. 
3:26; 1 Cor. 15:3). 

4. His death reconciled man to God (Rom. 5:10). 

5. His death draws us to him. Those who half-way 
appreciate w^hat he suffered for them will be touched 
sufficiently to purpose to live for him. 

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. 

Text— 2 Pet. 3:10. 

I. — The certainty of his coming, 

1. John 14:1-3; Matt. 25 :3 1-46. 

2. Acts 1:9-11. 

3. IThess. 4:16; 5:23; 2 Thess. 1 :8-10. 

4. Rev. 1:7; 22:20. 

II. — What will take place at his coming? 

1. The earth and the things therein will be burned up. 

2. The dead in Christ shall be raised. 



— 100 — 

3. Those who are aHve at his coming will be caught 
up to meet him in the air. 

4. Vengeance will be taken on the wicked. 

III. — When will he come? 

1. The time is not revealed. 

2. The kingdom must first fill the whole earth (Dan. 
2:35; Isa. 11:9; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 11:15). 

3. Very foolish to set the time, as he is to come as a 
thief in the night. 

IV. — We should always be ready. 

1. If we are prepared for death, we will be prepared 
for his second coming. This life is the only time we 
have in which to prepare to meet him. 

2. The wicked have no promise. Many believe all will 
be saved because they wish to have it so, but there is 
no Scripture to teach it. 

3. There is nothing like good preparation for any im- 
portant event. 

4. If we do all the good we can we need not worry 
about his coming. He will come at the right time. 
Where will you be when he comes ? Be ready. 

PEACE. 
Text— Rom. 14:19. 

I. — The opposite of peace is war, 

1. War between nations is to be deplored. The only 
thing that will justify war is that it is sometimes neces- 
sary to give peace and prevent worse suffering than 
that which comes from the war. This was no doubt true 
of our war with Spain. 

2. Contentions in communities should be avoided if 
possible. 



— 101 — 

3. Strife in a Church is very wicked, and no one should 
be allowed to remain in a congregation who has the rule 
or ruin spirit. 

4. All strife between individuals can be settled by fol- 
lowing what is said in Matt. 18:15-17, if both parties are 
willing. It is impossible for any one to be at peace with 
some people if he is intimate with them. Many times 
the very best w^ay to be at peace is not to go near those 
who are given to strife. 

II. — The gospel will eventually do away zvitK all wars. 

1. Seelsa. 2:4; Mic. 4:3. 

2. Peter w^as told to put up his sword QIatt. 26:51, 
52). 

3. Christ's kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). 

4. The idea of settling disputes between nations by arbi- 
tration is the result of Christianity. 

III. — The importance of peace, 

1. Peace here is necessary to peace hereafter. 

2. It is a grand thing to be at peace with God (Rom. 
5:1). . . 

3. We must try to be at peace with all men in order 
to see God. (Heb. 12:14; Rom. 12:18). 

IV. — Important statements. 

1. Isa. 96] Luke 2:14, 29; Acts 10:36. 

2. John 14:27; Phil. 4:7. 

3. Gal. 5:22; Eph. 4:3; 6:15. 

JUDAS ISCARIOT. 

Text — Acts 1 :18. 

I. — History of him before the betrayal. 

\. The text and Matt. 10:4 tell us that he was one 
of the twelve apostles. 



— 102 — 

2. He was called the son of perdition (John 17:12). 

3. Satan entered him (John 13:21-30). 

II. — From the betrayal to his death, 

1. Judas knew the garden (John 18:2). 

2. He betrayed Christ with a kiss for thirty pieces of 
silver (Matt. 26:14-16, 47-49). 

3. He returned the money, acknowledged his sin, and 
strangled himself * ( Matt. 27 :3-5 ) . 

4. It is a great mistake to conclude that Judas was 
compelled to betray Christ. God simply foresaw and 
foretold what Judas would do. The devil entered into 
Judas and caused him to do it. 

III. — Was Judas saved? 

r. If he was saved how many would like to have their 
salvation told in the same language in which his is told. 

2. The Greek word translated ''repentance'' in Matt. 
27:3, is not the word generally translated ''repentance," 
and does not mean so much. The repentance of Judas 
was not deep enough. 

3. There is no evidence that Judas was saved, but much 
evidence that he was lost. 

IV. — Practical lessons. 

1. We are in danger that the devil will enter into us 
and cause us to fall. 

2. Never turn traitor to any one. Brutus, Benedict 
Arnold and Judas will always be held in contempt. 

3. We may betray Christ by rejecting his word, by 
betraying his disciples, or by refusing to work for h.h 
Church. Those who are traitors will be with Judas in 
the world to come. 



— 103 — 
THE PLENTEOUS HARVEST. 

Text— Matt. 9:37. 

I. — The harvest at that time. 

1. The multitudes before Jesus were like sheep with- 
out a shepherd, and he had compassion on them. 

2. Jesus found the Jews in need of a new birth (John 
3:3-5). 

3. The Samaritans were in need of the gospel an»d 
many of them were ready to accept it. 

4. The Gentiles were without God in the world (Eph. 
2:11, 12). 

H. — The harvest now. 

1. The population of the globe is about 1,620,000,- 
000. 

2. Near 500,000,000 are nominal Christians: (1) About 
270,000,000 are Roman Catholics; (2) near 100,000,000 
are Greek Catholics; (3) about 166,000,000 are Protest- 
ants; (4) 11,222,000 are Jews. 

3. Fully 200,000,000 are Mohammedans. 

4. It is claimed that 900,000,000 worship idols: (1) 
The Buddhists number about 138,000,000; (2) the Hin- 
dus number near 210,000,000; (3) Confucianists and 
Taoists number about 292,000,000 ; (4) the other 232,- 
778,000 either worship idols or have no religion. 

5. There are 30,000,000 in Africa who are cannibals. 

HI. — The laborers are few. 

1. At the time Jesus uttered the words of the text he 
had only a few disciples. 

2. In this country it is said that there is one Chris- 
tian worker to every fifty inhabitants, but in India there 
is only one to every sixty thousand inhabitants. 

3. In Northern China there is a population of 29,000..- 



— 104 — 

000, all idolatrous, and only one missionary to 1,000,000 
of the inhabitants. 

4. The entire number o^f Protestant missionaries in the 
foreign field at the present time is about 15,000. 
IV. — Should we be discouraged? 

1. It is not our» intention to discourage, but we must 
know the situation. 

2. We are not required to do more than we can. 

3. The cause is advancing. 

4. God is on our side. 

V. — Now is the time for the Disciples to push to the front. 

1. The world has always needed our plea, but the pub- 
lic mind is in a better condition to receive pure Chris- 
tianity now than it has ever been. 

2. Our wonderful growth is attracting attention 
throughout the world. 

3. Shall we stand firm in the old paths ? 

4. What are we doing? How many missionaries have 
we in the field? 

CONCI.USION. 

Will we pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth 
more laborers ? Will we back our prayers with our money ? 
China alone gives $300,000,000 for idolatry each year. 
Protestants only give about $17,000,000 annually to evan- 
gelize the heathen world. May God hasten the day when 
the Disciples of Christ, who are the Protestants of the 
Protestants, average at least one dollar per member each 
year for foreign missions. 

THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 

Text— 1 Tim. 1:11. 

I. — What is the gospel? 

1. It means glad tidings, good news. This is in har- 
mony with v/hat the angel said (Luke 2:8-14). 



— 105 — 

2. 1 Cor. 15;l-4 states the facts of the gospel. 

3. The resurrection of Christ is a very important part 
of the gospel (Rom. 10:9, 10; Acts 2:32; 10:40, 41) 
II. — Some statements from Scripture. 

1. The glorious gospel (2 Cor. 4:4). 

2. The power of God (Rom. 1:16). 

3. Gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). 

4. The everlasting gospel (Rev. 14:16). 
III. — The gospel must he preached, 

1. Mark 16:15; Rom. 1:15; 1 Cor. 9:16. 

2. All of it must be preached (Acts 20:27). 

3. It must not be perverted (Gal. 1 :7-9). 

4. God saves people through the preaching of the gos- 
pel (Rom. 10:14; 1 Cor. 1:21). 

5. Life and immortality are brought to light through 
the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10). 

IV. — The gospel nmst he oheyed. 

1. What will the end be if we refuse (1 Pet. 4:17) ? 

2. Those who do not obey it will be punished (2 Thess. 
1:8). 

3. It must be obeyed from the heart (Rom. 6:17). 

CONCIvUSION. 

Paul had tried this gospel on his own sinful heart, and 
knew that it was glorious. 

It is glorious for what it does for man here and here- 
after. Those who intend to be saved by the gospel should 
not delay. 

THE PREACHER AND HIS WORK. 
Text— 1 Tim. 2:7. 

I. — Elders, or bishops, in the Apostolic Church. 

1. Bishop and elder are applied to the same officer 
(Acts 20:17, 28). 



— 106 — 

2. Qualifications (1 Tim. 3:2-5; Tit. 1:5-9). 

3. There was a plurality of elders in the church at 
Ephesus (Acts 20:17). 

4. Some elders labored in word and doctrine (1 Tim 
5:17). 

II. — Evangelists in the Apostolic Church, 

1. Philip, one of the deacons of the Jerusalem church, 
became an evangelist (Acts 6:5; 21:8). 

2. Timothy was an evangelist (2 Tim. 4:5). 

3. Titus was evidently an evangelist (Tit. 1:5; 2:1, 
7, 8). 

4. The qualifications of the evangelist (2 Tim. 2:15; 
3:14-17). 

5. The work of an evangelist (1 Tim. 6:17-19; 2 Tim 
4:1-5; Tit. 1:5, 15). 

Ill,— Paul was a preacher (1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11). 

1. Strip Paul of his apostolic authority and he is the 
model preacher for to-day. 

2. He was educated and conscientious (Acts 24:16; 
26:24). 

3. He preached because it was his duty (1 Cor. 9:16). 

4. He preached the whole gospel and nothing but the 
Gospel (Acts 20:27; 1 Cor. 2:2; Gal. 1:8). 

5. He taught both publicly and from house to house 
(Acts 20:20). 

IV. — The modern preacher. 

1. He should be as near like the apostolic preachers as 
possible. 

2. He may be an elder or an evangelist. The majority 
of the preachers in the Church of Christ at the present 
time were ordained as evangelists because they were 
young men and did not possess the Scriptural qualifica- 
tions of elders, 



— 107 — 

3. It is his duty to preach the same gospel that was 
preached by Paul, Timothy and Titus. This requires 
a great deal of courage, but it is right. Heaven pity and 
convert the man who stands before the public as a min- 
ister of Christ and for the sake of popular applause 
preaches a mutilated gospel. 

4. The one who takes the position that the only Scrip- 
tural pastor is an elder will find it no easy task to prove 
his case. 

5. All young men* who are willing to preach the whole 
truth and nothing but the truth, and then leave the result 
with God, should be encouraged to enter the ministry. 



PRAYER. 

Text— Phii.. 4:6. 

# 

I. — Why do zve prayf 

1. Because it is commanded (1 Thess 5:17; 1 Tim. 
2:1,8; Phil. 4:6). 

2. The fact that we humble ourselves before God 
and ask him to bless us makes us better. 

3. We receive the most important blessings in answer 
to prayer. 

"Restraining prayer we cease to fight, 
Prayer makes the Christian's armour bright, 
And Satan trembles when he sees 
The weakest saint upon his knees. 

When Moses stood with hands spread wide^ 
Success was found on Israel's side; 
But when in weakness they had failed 
That moment Amalek prevailed." 

II. — For what are zve to prayf 

1. We pray for some things which will come without 
prayer (Matt 6:11; Rev. 22:20). 



— 108 — 

2. For things which will not be granted (Rom. 10: 
1-4; 1 Tim. 2:1; Luke 22:42). 

3. For blessings which we can only receive in answer 
to prayer (Matt. 7:11; Luke 11:13; Acts 8:18:23; Matt. 
6:12). 

in. — Secret prayer is very important. 

1. Matt. 6:5, 6; 14:22, 23; 26:36-39; Acts 10:9. 

2. Some can not pray well in public, but all can pray 
in secret. 

3. We can pray oftener in secret than we can in public. 

4. Hypocritical prayers are sometimes offered in pub- 
lic, but we can hardly conceive of one's offering a hypo- 
critical prayer when alone with God. 

IV. — Who should pray? 

1. The Lord will hear the righteous (1 Pet. 3:12). 

2. The peniterft sinner should pray (Acts 9 :1 1 ; 22 :16) . 

3. God will not hear those who intend to continue 
in sin (John 9:31). 

HELL. 

Text— Matt. 23:33. 

I. — Four different words have been translated ''hell/' 

1. ''SheoF' is found in the Old Testament many times 
and is often translated ''hell" in the common version and 
sometimes it is translated "grave." In the revised ver- 
sion it is translated ''hell," "the grave" and "pit," but it 
is often transferred. According to the Hebrew Lexicon 
by Gesenius it means the under world, the place where 
people go when they die. 

2. "Hades" is used eleven times in the New Testa- 
ment and is rendered "hell" in the common version ten 
times. It is translated "grave" in 1 Cor. 15 :55. In 



— 109 — 

the revised version it is transferred ten times ana ren- 
dered ''death" in 1 Cor. 15:55. The word means the 
invisible abode or mansion of the dead. It means about 
the same as ''sheol.'' Neither word is used to describe 
the final condition of the wicked. 

3. ''Tartarus'' is found in 2 Pet. 2:4, and Is trans- 
lated "heir' in the common version and also in the re- 
vised version. It meant among the ancients that part 
of Hades where the wicked were confined and tormented, 

4. "Gehenna" means the valley of Hinnom, which 
was south of Jerusalem, once celebrated for the horrid 
worship of Moloch, and afterward polluted with every 
species of filth, as w^ell as the carcasses of animals and 
dead bodies of malefactors, to consume which, in order 
to avert the pestilence which such a mass of corruption 
would occasion, continual fires were kept burning. The 
Savior uses this term to reveal the final destiny of the 
wicked. See Barnes' Notes on Jer. 7:31, 32 for a full 
description of the valley of Hinnom. 

XL — Scriptures containing the zvord ''gehenna/' 

1. Matt. 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33. 

2. Mark 9:43, 45, 47. 

3. Luke 12:5. 

4. James 3:6. 

III. — The Bible is the only book of authority on the 
subject, 

1. If we believe In the Inspiration of the Bible, we 
must accept what it says on this subject, as well as 
on any other subject. 

2. "Gehenna" is properly translated "hell" • In the 
common version and in the revision. 

3. There is no account of anyone's ever coming out 
of gehenna. The character Is fixed before going In. 
The idea that there will be a chance to repent and b? 
delivered from hell is without divine authority. 



— 110 — 

4. It can never be blotted out. The same logic that 
removes hell also removes heaven. 

IV. — Why do people oppose hell? 

1. If all were good Christians there would be no 
opposition. 

2. Many do not wish to make the necessary sacrifice 
to escape it, and try to make themselves believe that 
there is no hell. 

3. When we lived in Eureka, Cal., there was no rail- 
road which ran through the mountains, and we had to 
go to San Francisco on the steamer. We were always 
fearful of being drowned in the Pacific Ocean ; but since 
moving away from there we have no such fears, as we 
never intend to ride on the ocean again. Just so it is 
with those who are living close to hell. They have a 
horror of it, and will, until they get away from it. The 
only proper course to pursue is to turn the back on hell 
and travel toward heaven, and persuade our friends to 
do the same, and we shall not be troubled very much 
about hell, and shall not spend very much time trying 
to blot it out. Those who go to hell are those who are 
not fit for heaven, because they have wilfully trans- 
gressed God's law and refuse to come to Christ and be 
pardoned. 

HEAVEN. 

Text — Acts 1:11. 

I. — What does the word mean? 

1. It means the planets, etc. (Gen. 1 :1 ; 2 Pet. 3 :10). 

2. The place where God and Christ dwell (1 Kingf 
8:30; Matt. 5:34). 

3. The place where the righteous shall dwell (1 Pet. 
1:4; Matt. 5:12; 22:30; Heb. 12:23). 



— Ill — 

4. Heaven is above us (Ps. 139:8; John 3:13; Acts 
10:16). 

11. — The happiness of those in heaven. 

1. We can not fully understand now (1 John 3:2)*. 

2. The happiness is well told in Rev. 7 :9-17. 

3. See Rev. 21:21-27; 22:1-4. 

4. We shall have immortal bodies (1 Cor. 15:54; 
Phil 3:20, 21). 

III. — Heaven should begin here. 

1. We may taste of the powers of the worlr^ to ccr^ie 
(Heb. 6:4, 5). 

2. Eternal life begins here (John 5:24). 

3. The more we serve God here the more we shall 
enjoy after death. 

4. We are to wash our robes and make them white 
in the blood of the Lamb, by obeying him while we 
^re in this world. 

tV. — Heaven has many attractive features. 

1. There will be no sorrow, no tears, no pain, no death 
there. 

2. Nothing impure can enter heaven. 

3. There will be the tree of life, water of life and the 
golden street. 

4. It will be lighted by the glory of God and the 
Lamb, and all the inhabitants will be like Christ. 

5. The inhabitants are like little children (Matt. 18: 
1-3). The fact that little children will be in the ma- 
jority makes heaven very attractive to those whose dear 
little ones have gone before. Since our own little Flor- 
ence passed from earth to heaven we find but little diffi- 
culty in setting our affections on the home above, and 
the following lines, written b}^ Edmund J. Wilson, of 
Allegheny, Pa., are very sweet to us : 



— 112-^ 

"I'hey tell of that beautiful city, 
T'he glorified home of the soul, 
Where the saints in their triumph are singing. 
The glory of God to extol. 

They say that its walls are of jasper, 
Of pure gleaming pearl are its gates, 
And within its golden-paved portals 
The one we love dearest awaits. 

But back of the gleam of its glory, 
Above the delight of its domes, 
I look to the highlands of heaven, 
Whence the light of eternity comes. 

And high on the hills of that country, 
Rolling far forever away, 
I see in the dreams of my fancy 
The forms of fair children at play. 

In fields that are fruited and fragrant 
And ripe with the riches of God, 
They gather in wreaths the white roses 
That spring from eternity's sod. 

And one I am watching among them, 
With ^features transfigured and fair, 
Who will leap with joy at my coming. 
And crown me in ecstacy there. 

As once through earth's pastures she led me 
Where lightly the clover blooms waved, 
So over God's plains she shall lead me. 
Where blossom the souls of the saved. 

For ever and ever together 
Through fields of our father on high. 
We'll wander the highlands of heaven. 
My glorified darling and T 



— 113 — 

A GREATER WORK THAN MIRACLES. 

Text— John 14:12. 

introduction. 

The works which Jesus did were no doubt his mira- 
cles. Some are very anxious to perform miracles now, 
and pretend that they do. Overanxiety to exercise 
miraculous power is not a sign of true piety (Acts 8 :19). 

I. — The zvorks zt'hich Jesus did, 

1. He turned water into wine. 

2. He calmed the tempest and stilled the sea. 

3. He fed five thousand with five 'loaves and two small 
fishes. 

4. He cast out demons. 

5. Healed various diseases. 

6. The culmination of his miracles was raising the 
dead. 

II. — Did those zvho believed on him do such works? 

1. Paul cast out an evil spirit (Acts 16:18). 

2. Paul healed the sick (Acts 28:8). 

3. Peter and John healed the lame man (Acts 3.:6). 

4. Peter raised the dead (Acts 9:40). 

III. — The Disciples were not to do greater works than 
some which Jesus did, 

1. ' There could be no greater work than Christ's death 
when we consider what it accomplished. 

2. There could be no greater work than his resur- 
rection for our justification. 

3. When Jesus ascended to heaven and sent the Holy 
Spirit, he did a work that was never surpassed by his 
disciples. 

IV. — What were the greater works which his disciples 
were to do? 
8 



— 114 — 

1. They performed no greater miracles. 

2. They announced the full law of pardon, which was 
a more important work than miracles. 

3. Miracles were performed to establish Christianity, 
but never saved a single soul. 

4. The main purpose of Christ's coming was to save 
people from their sins, and not to perform miracles. 

5. The preaching of the gospel produced love in the 
human heart, which is greater than all spiritual gifts 
(1 Cor. 13:1-13). 

V. — Can zve do greater works than miracles? 

1. It is far rriore important to teach and preach the 
gospel than to heal the sick, or even raise the dead. 

2. The growth of our missionary offerings is a 
greater work than miracles. 

3. Sister Sue Robinson, who converted Jeu Hawk and 
afterward went to India as a missionary, and died from 
cholera, did a greater work than performing miracles. 

4. A missionary who was working among the very 
poor people in the city of London found a woman dying 
in want and misery, and asked her what she wanted most. 
With a radiant smile, the answer came from her parched 
lips: ''I have Christ — what want I more?" The fol- 
lowing lines are based upon this statement, and show 
that it is much greater to be able to die in Christ * than 
to be able to work miracles : 

'In the heart of London city 
'Mid the dwellings of the poor, 
These bright golden words were uttered: 
1 have Christ — -what want I more?' 

By a lonely, dying woman, 
Stretched upon a garret floor. 
Having not one earthly blessing: 
*I have Christ — what want I more?' 



— 115 — 

He who heard them ran to bring her 
Something from the world's great store; 
It • was needless, died she saying : 
*I have Christ — what want I more?* 

But her words will live forever, 
I repeat them o'er and o'er. 
God delights to hear me saying: 
*I have Christ — what want I more ?' " 

REGENERATION. 
Text— Titus 3:5. 

I. — Clearly state what regeneration means, 

1. Generate means to cause to be; to bring into life. 
Regenerate means to bring into life again. 

2. The noun is used here and in Matt. 19 :28, and the 
verb is used in 1 Peter 1 :3. 

3. Regeneration includes all the change which takes 
place in man in becoming a Christian, but does not in- 
clude pardon which takes place in the mind of God. 

II. — Regeneration is taught in different ways, 

1. The new birth means the same as regeneration 
(John 3:3-5). 

2. The same idea is expressed in Jas. 1 :18. 

3. The new creature, in 2 Cor. 5:18; Gal. 6:15, 
means the same as one who has been regenerated. 

III. — State clearly the process of regeneration, 

1. By the truth (Jas. 1:18; 1 Cor. 4:15). 

2. By the resurrection of Christ (1 Pet. 1:3). 

3. If we know how to get into Christ, we know how 
to be regenerated. All who obey Christ from the heart 
may rest assured that they are regenerated. 

IV. — The necessity of regeneration, 

1. If man had not fallen, he would not need re- 
generation. 



^116-^ 

2. Man becomes dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2 :1). 

3. There is no Christian duty more imperative than 
to teach people that they must be regenerated. 

4. Children who have not gone far in sin need the 
least regeneration. We shall never have the ideal 
church until we so train the children in the principles 
of the gospel that their regeneration will be so slight that 
it will scarcely be perceptible. 

NO CONTINUING CITY. 

Text— Heb. 13:14. 

I. — The Hebrews knew that earthly cities could not 
continue, 

1. They knew that Jerusalem was destroyed about 
586 B. C. 

2. They perhaps knew that Christ foretold that It 
would be destroyed again. Christ's prophecy was ful- 
filled about seven years after Paul wrote this letter. 

3. They knew of the destruction of Sodom, Gomor- 
rah and many other ancient cities. 

II. — Paul fully realized that all earthly cities would 
perish, 

1. Jerusalem was his city. He was educated there, 
and knew its history, and what Christ had foretold 
concerning it. 

2. Paul had no permanent home, no family. 

3. See his missionary journeys. He had just spent 
two years in prison at Rome when he wrote to the He- 
brews. He knew persecutions were always before him. 
About five years after this he was beheaded in Rome, 
and may have had some idea of it at this time. 

III. — We have no permanent abiding- place. We have 
no continuing city. 



— 117 — 

1. We all know this, but we often act as if we 
expect to stay here ahvays. 

2. None of our houses will continue. They will be 
taken from us, or we shall be taken from them. Thou- 
sands have had their homes swept away during the past 
few years by foreclosure of mortgages, and many have 
been called from homes that were not mortgaged. 

3. Some homes are less permanent than others. The 
preachers, as a rule, are very sensible of this fact. 

IV. — 'We seek one to come/' 

1. We are glad that there are many mansions torus 
(John 14:2), 

2. We look forward to a house not made with hands 
(2Gor. 5:1-4). 

3. Our conversation is in heaven (Phil. 3:20, 21). 

4. We look forward to the holy city (Rev. 21:14). 

V. — The time comes with some when they are anxious 
to depart, 

1. David (2 Sam. 12:23). 

2. Paul desired to depart and be with Christ (Phil. 
1:21-24). 

3. Simeon prayed to depart in peace (Luke 2:29). 

4. When the mother of President McKinley had 
seen him inaugurated, she said she was ready to go 
to her eternal home. 

5. Sister A. Campbell was anxious to depart for many 
years before her death, and often repeated the follow- 
ing lines : 

*'Qh, home of the ransomed, abode of the blest, 
My earth-weary spirit now 3^earns for the rest; 
Oh, call m^e, my Father, no longer to roam 
So far from thy mansions — I want to go home, 



— 118 — 

Thy love, O my Father, has compassed my life, 
My solace in sorrow, my succor in strife, 
And now. Lord, I wait but the call of thy love, 
To fly to my home in the co'untry above. 

The sweet ties of nature have held me so long, 

For kindred cleave closely and earth bonds are strong, 

But willingly, joyfully, now I resign 

Earth's fondest and dearest, for Jesus is mine. 

In toiling for Jesus what joy I have known, 
But now from his footstool I go to his throne, 
And tho'Ugh there is only the good and the true. 
Even there he will find me some service to do. 

Lord Jesus, come quickly, earth binds me no more. 
So short is the distance to yonder bright shore. 
And death has no terrors my spirit to move. 
For Jordan gleams bright in the light of thy love.'' 

As v^e have no continuing city here and must soon 
pass to the world beyond, hov^ earnest we should be in 
trying to make the world better. 

When a little boy was informed that his father was 
soon to leave this world for another, he went to him 
and said, ''Father, have you a home over there where 
you are going?'' We may have homes which will 
continue, if we live as Paul lived. May we all have 
homes in the city of our God. 

CHRIST GIVES LIFE. 

Text — John 5:40 

I. — Life clearly defined, 

1. It means the period between birth and death. 

2. It means the union between soul and body. 

3e Life always implies union — the opposite of death. 



— 119 — 

4. See Herbert Spencer's definition of life. 

5. Christ defines eternal life (John 17:3). 

II. — The importance of this life — the period betzceen 
birth and death. 

1. All place a high value on life. 

2. There is much pleasure in living. 

3. Many precautions are taken to save life. (1) The 
laws against murder are very strict; (2) Railroad com- 
panies are responsible for the lives which are lost on 
their lines; (3) Steamers must have life-preservers in 
every state-room. 

4. "Life is not mean; it is grand. If mean to any, 
he makes it so'' (Royal Path of Life). 

"Life is real, life is earnest, 

And the grave is not its goal. 
JDust thou art, to dust returneth, 
Was not spoken of the soul. 

Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime, 

And departling- leave behind us 
Footprints on the sands of time.'* 

III. — How does life come? 

1. It requires life to produce life. 

2. Huxley and Tyndall w^ere compelled to admit that 
life comes from antecedent life. 

3. All admit that there was a tim.e when there was no 
life of any kind upon the earth, and are compelled to 
concede that there was some antecedent life to produce 
the various kinds of life which we now see. 

4. The Bible gives the best explanation of the ori- 
gin of life, and calls the antecedent life "God." 

IV. — Spiritual life is very important. 
1. It comes from Christ— rantecedent life. 



—120 — 

2. Socrates said that if human beings were ever to 
be elevated, some being must come down from above 
and lift them up. 

3. Christ has come (2 Tim. 1:10.; Eph. 2:1; John 
1:4; 6:53; 15:4). 

4. This spiritual hfe will end in eternal life (Rom. 
2:7;b:53; John 3:36). 

CONCLUSION.. 
"Fill up the hours with what will . last. 
Buy up the moments as they go. 
The life above, when this is past, 
Is the ripe fruit of life below." 

You must be in touch with Christ, the life-giving be- 
ing, in order to have spiritual life. Many will not come 
to Christ that they may have life. Use your will-power 
and come to Christ now. 

WE MUST HAVE CHRIST'S SPIRIT. 

Text— RoM. 8:9. 

I. — All true Christians have the Holy Spirit. 

1. 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19. 

2. John 14:17. 

' 3. Eph. 2:22; 5:18. 

4. The text shows that a man can not be a Christian 
unless he has the Holy Spirit. 
11.— How can we get the Holy Spirit? 

1. By obedience (Acts 5:32). 

2. By believing, repenting, and being baptized (Ac^a 
2:38). 

3. By adoption (Gal. 4:6). 

4. By asking the Father (Luke 11 :13). 

5. By receiving Christ's words (John 6:63), 



— 121 — 

III. — Hozv may we know that zve have the Spirit? 

1. We know we comply with the conditions upon 
which God has promised the Spirit. 

2. By studying Christ's Hfe and Hving as he Hved. 

3. By the fruit which we bear (Gal. 5:22, 23). 
IV. — What spirit did Christ manifest^ 

1. He rebuked sin in very severe terms. 

2. He w^as unselfish. 

3. He was obedient to the Father. 

4. Showed his love for the world. 

5. He was a great missionary — he- observed the 
golden rule. 

CONCIvUSION. 

The Holy Spirit is for all who will have it — it is as 
free as the air which we breathe. 

The Holy Spirit will depart from us to the extent 
to which we allow the evil spirit to enter our hearts. 

The more complete our obedience to the gospel the 
more the Holy Spirit will dwell in us. May we all be 
filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). 

ADORN THE DOCTRINE. 
Text— Titus 2:10. 

I. — Notice the zvord ''adorn/' 

1. It means to beautify, to- render attractive. 

2. See Isa. 61:10; Rev. 21:2. 

3. See Luke 21:5; 1 Tim. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:3, 4. 
11. — The word ''doctrine/' 

1. It means teaching. 

2. See Prov. 4:2; Acts 2:42; 5:28; Rom. 6:17; 
16:17; 2 Tim. 3:16; 4:2; Tit. 2:1. 

3t It is in the singular nurnber when it refers to the 



— 122 — 

teaching of Christ, but in the plural when it refers to 

the teaching of men and demons (1 Tim. 4:1; Matt. 

15:9). 

III. — How may we adorn the doctrine? 

1. By translating it so each man can read it in his 
own tongue. 

2. By writing commentaries upon it. 

3. By living it. This is evidently the idea in the text. 

4. By showing how much better it makes the heathen 
who accept it. We can make it attractive by show- 
ing its usefulness. 

IV. — How much has the Church adorned the doc-- 
trine since the days of the apostles? 

1. It is a question whether it has adorned it more 
than it has obscured it. 

2. The true gospel was much covered up from the 
fifth to the sixteenth century. 

3. It is to a great extent made void now by the tra- 
ditions of men. 

4. Our inconsistent lives very much obscure it. 

5. Bible schools, the Christian Endeavor societies, 
and missionary work are rendering it very attractive. 

CONCIvUSION. 

Let us adorn it in all things. Let people see how 

^much it will do for them. Non-church members should 

J" 

look at its best fruit, and at the doctrine itself. When 
all Christians learn to preach it in its purity and live it 
the world will be converted. 

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 

Text— Luke 2:8-10. 
introduction. 

Christ was born in a time of peace. Many nations 
were looking for the coming of some great one. The 



— 123 — 

Jews were looking for Christ to come to restore their 
political power to them. 

I. — Brief history of Christmas. 

1. The exact time of Christ's birth is not known. 

2. Julius, bishop of Rome, A. D. 337-352, was the 
first to celebrate December 25 as Christ's birthday. 

3. The day is now kept by Roman, Greek, English and 
Lutheran Churches as a religious festival. Other churches 
keep it as a social holiday. We see no harm in holding 
religious services on that -day, but the people should be 
informed that the day is not set apart by divine authority. 

"Let all the sweet old songs be sung, 
The dear old stories told. 
The dross of life all overlaid 
With what is life's pure gold. 

Let pain and disappointments be 

But chastenings sanctified; 
And heart shall answer untO' heart, 

This joyous Christmastide." 

IL — There was much rejoicing at Christ's birth. 

1. The shepherds (Luke 2:20). 

2. The wise men (Matt. 2:10, 11). 

3. The mother of Jesus (Luke 1:46). 

4. Simeon (Luke 2:28-32). 

5. The shout of the angels (Luke 2:13, 14). 

IIL — There were good reasons for this rejoicing. 

1. Christ had been promised for many years, and the 
promise was made brighter by his birth. The first sight 
of what has been promised is much appreciated. Bro. 
J. W. McGarvey shed tears of joy when he first saw Je- 
rusalem, because he had wished to see it for many years. 

2. His names. (a) Jesus — he was to save the peo- 



— 124 — 

pie from their sins; (b) Emmanuel — God with us; (c) 
Christ — the anointed one. 

3. His life, death, resurrection, and all that followed 
were no doubt understood by the angels, and perhaps 
by Simeon. 

IV. — Peace on earth and good will tozvard men. 

1. Swords beaten into plowshares (Isa. 2.:4). 

2. Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). 

3. All of Christ's teaching has a tendency to make 
peace in various ways. 

V. — That period compared with this. 

1. We are sorry not to have been with the shepherds 
(Luke 2:8-17). 

2. We are sorry not to have been with the wise men 
(Matt. 2:1-11). 

3. Many are sorry not to have done as Simeon did 
(Luke 2:25-32). 

4. But, all things considered, we would rather live 
in this age of peace and good will. We can read of 
the triumphs of the church in the midst of persecu- 
tions and see the progress Christianity is making at the 
present time. 

CONCIvUSlON. 

Let us appreciate the great gift of Christ. Let us 
remember that Judean peasant, that humble Nazarene, 
the Prince of Peace, the Star of Bethlehem. 

"Let every heart keep its Christmas within, 
Christ's pity for sorrow, Christ's hatred for sin, 
Christ's care for the weakest, Christ's courage for right, 
Christ's dread of th^ darkness, Christ's love of the ligh|!^' 



— 125 — 

l^YPES AND ANTITYPES. 

Text— 1 Ccr. 10:11. 

I. — A brief history of Israel. 

1. How did they get into bondage? 

2. Tell of their suffering in Egypt. 

3. How did they come ont of Egypt? 

4. Describe their entering the promised land. 
H. — The types and antitypes. 

1. Moses typified Christ. 

2. Bondage typified sin. 

3. The Israelites typified sinners. As the former be- 
lieved in Moses, so the latter must believe in Christ. 

4. The decision of the Israelites to leave Egypt and 
follow J\Ioses typified repentance. 

5. Their crossing the Red Sea typified baptism (1 
Cor. 10:2). See Philip Schaff's comment on this verse. 

6. The wilderness typified the church. 

7. The Jordan typified death. 

8. Canaan typified heaven. 

III. — Practical lessons, 

1. Those who are in the bondage of sin must come 
out or be lost. God has done his part. 

2. As the way to Canaan was through the wilderness, 
so the way to heaven is through the church. God has 
revealed no other way. 

3. Many fell in the wilderness on account of unbe- 
lief. Those in the church are in danger of falling. 

4. May we all be able to sing with the spirit and with 
the understanding: 

"On Jordan's stormy banks I stand 
And cast a wistful eye 
To Canaan's fair and happy land, 
Where my possessions lie.'* 



— 126 — 
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES. 
Tkxt — John 15:5. 
I. — Text and context. 

1. This was spoken shortly before Jesus sufifered. 

2. He spoke to his disciples. 

3. His Church was not yet established, and what we 
now call orthodox Churches did not come into existence 
for about fifteen hundred years after this, so he could 
not have had reference to them. Perhaps none are so 
biased and ignorant as to take that position now, but 
we have heard that idea advanced in years gone by. 

4. The entire thought in this scripture is relationship. 

H. — Hozv do zve become branches? 

1. The disciples to whom this was spoken became 
branches by following him when he called them. 

2. After the resurrection of Christ disciples were made 
according to a fixed law (Mark 16:16, Acts 2 :38). 

3. The Gentiles were grafted in (Rom. 11:17). 

4. Verse 3, states the general principle by which 
branches get. into the vine. 

HI. — The necessity of abiding in the vine. 

1. A branch can not live out of the vine. 

2. We can not bear fruit out of the vine (Verses 4, 5). 
3; Our prayers will be answered, if we are in the vine 

(verse 7). ' 

4. The result of not abiding in the vine (Verse 6). 

5. See Eph. 2:13; Rom. 8:1; Acts 4:12. . 

IV. — How are dead branches cut off? 

1. They are made branches by obedience and are cut 
off by disobedience. 

2. The Church can not cut them off, but can declare 
nonfellowship with them after they cut themselves off. 



— 127 — 

3. No outside influence can separate us from Christ 
(Rom. 8:35-39). 

CONCIvUSlON. 

Cling to Christ as you would to a vessel on the ocean. 
Study the book of Acts and know how to become 
branches. Commit to memory 2 Pet. 1 :5"13, and you 
wnll know how to abide in Christ. If we have made 
mistakes in becoming branches, we should correct them 
as we would a mistake in a deed to property. 

TRUE FRIENDSHIP. 

Text— Prov. 18:24. 

introduction. 

Solomon was a man of great experience. True friend- 
ship means much. 

I. — We must have friends, 

1. Business men can not get along without friends. 

2. Professional men find it necessary to befriend each 
other. 

3. The social circle would have but few charms with- 
out friends. 

4. What would our college days have been without 
friends ? 

5. We would not be happy in church work without 
our friends. 

II.- — T.rue friends, 

1. Not those who simply take a fancy to us. 

2. Not those who are easily changed. 

3. Not those who are prompted by some selfish motive. 

4. Our true friends see merit in us, are controlled by 
principle, and are just the opposite of those who are not 
true. False friends may be our worst enemies. 



— 128-^ 

"Oh, it is not while riches and splendor surround uS 
That friendship and friends can be put to the test; 
'Tis but when affliction's cold presence has bound us 
We find who the friends ^re that love us the best. 

For friends will fawn at fortune's dawn, 
While the breeze and the tide waft us steadily on. 
But when sorrow o'ertakes us each false one forsakes us. 
And leaves 'Us to sink or to struggle alone." 

III. — Examples of true friendship, 

1. Damon and Pythias. See Johnson's Cyclopedia. 

2. David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:11; 19:1-7; 20: 
1-42; 23:13-18). 

IV. — Chrisfs friendship for us, 

1. His whole life shows that he was a true friend to 
humanity. 

2. John 15:13. 
3. -Matt. 28:20. 

V. — Our friendship for Christ. 

1. John 15:14. 

2. Those who speak well of him and do not obey him 
are not true friends. 

3. Each one can apply the test to himself. Those who 
have obeyed the first principles of the gospel and are 
now trying to reproduce Christ's life in their lives are 
his true friends, but those who wilfully rebel against his 
authority are not. 

THE TRANSFIGURATION. 
Te:xt— Matt. 17:1, 2. 

I. — What does ''transfigure'' mean? 

1. To change the appearance of. 

2. To change to something very elevating; to give an 
ideal form to. 

3. See latter part of the text. 



4. See Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18. 
11. — Purpose ' of the transfiguration, 

1. The Bible does not directly state the purpose of 
Christ's transfiguration. 

2. To help unfold his divinity. 

3. To show that Christ was superior to Moses and 
Elijah. 

4. To show that the Old Covenant was passing away 
and that the New Covenant was approaching (Verse 5, 
and Heb. 1:1). 

5. Perhaps to comfort Jesus, Moses and Elijah talked 
with him about his death (Luke 9:31). 

6. To give the disciples a glimpse of his and their 
future glory (Matt. 13:43; Phil. 3:21). 

III. — Some important statements. 

1. John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16-18. 

2. John 17:5; Matt. 25:31. 

3. Acts 7:55. 

4. Rev. 1:13-18; 19:12-16. 

IV. — Our transfiguration, 

1. The Greek w^ord rendered ''transfigure'' in the text 
is rendered ^'transform" in Rom. 12:2, and ''change" in 
2 Cor. 3:18. 

2. We must continue to transfigure our characters un- 
til they become much like the character of Christ. 

3. Christ wills that we share his glory (John 17:24; 
Rom. 8:17). 

CONCLUSION. 

That we should be so changed as to be like Christ in 
his glorified state looks impossible from the human 
standpoint, but all things are possible with God. It looks 
impossible that the caterpillar should be changed into 
the butterfly. 
9 



— 130 — 

CHRIST LIVES IN ME. 
Te:xt— Gai.. 2:20. 

I. — The intimate relation of Christ to his disciples is 
expressed in different ways. 

1. He is the vine and they are the branches (John 
15:1-5). 

2. His disciples are one body in him (Rom. 12:4, 5). 

3. Both he and the Father dwell in his disciples (Rom. 
8:10; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:6). 

II. — How do God and Christ dwell in the disciples? 

1. By faith. 

2. By the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:19-22). 

3. 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Rom. 8:9, clearly teach that the 
Holy Spirit dwells in all true disciples. 

III. — We must believe statements which we can not un- 
derstand. 

1. We can not understand the relation of the mind to 
the body, the law of gravitation, how our food is con- 
verted into blood, how the blood builds up the tissues of 
the body, but we do not reject them on that account. 

2. We do not understand how grass causes feathers 
to grow on the goose, wool on the sheep, and hair on the 
horse, but we believe it does. 

3. We can not understand how corn or anything else 
grows, but we know it does (Mark 4:27). 

4. We can not understand the incarnation, the atone- 
ment, the resurrection, or the indwelling of the Holy 
Spirit, but we should not reject them on that account. 
IV. — Draw a few practical lessons from this text, 

1. How would you treat Christ if he were on earth? 

2. The Wise Men treated him well (Matt. 2:1-11). 

3. We may crucify Christ by crucifying a brother in 
whom Christ dwells, and be just as wicked as were the 
Jews. ■ 



— 131 — 

4. When we look at the great honor God and Christ 
have bestowed on us we may quote Matt. 17:4, but when 
we thmk of our great responsibilities we quote Ex. 3:5. 

STEADFASTNESS. 
Tkxt— 1 Cor. 15:58. 
I. — Consider the first word of the text. 

1. The facts of the gospel are stated in the first part 
of the chapter. 

2. Christ's resurrection is clearly established. 

3. The resurrection of the saints is affirmed. 

4. The enemies of Christianity admit that Paul wrote 
this letter to the Corinthians, therefore we should be 
steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of 
the Lord. 

II. — The importance of steadfastness. 

1. Business men must be steadfast, or fail. 

2. Those in pursuit of knowledge need steadfastness. 

3. Steadfastness is more important in religion than 
anywhere else. 

4. See Col. 2:5; 2 Pet. 3:17. 
III. — Unmovable or immovable. 

1. Paul knew their danger. 

2. They were in danger of being shaken in mind (2 
Thess. 2:1, 2). 

3. See Acts 20:24; Col. 1:23. 

IV. — ''Always abounding in the work of the Lord/' 

1. "Always." 

2. "Abounding.'^ 

3. "In the work.'' Must do something. 

4. "Of the Lord." 
V. — Labor not in vain. 

1. How did they know that their labor was not in 



— 132 — 
vain? (1) By experience; (2) From what Paul had 
taught them. 

2. May we know that our labor is not in vain? (1) 
We have the gospel; (2) We can test Christianity better 
than the Corinthians, as we have the advantage of its 
history for over eighteen hundred years: (3) We know 
that working in the Church makes us better and helps 
others. 

CONTEND FOR THE FAITH. 
Te:xt — juDi: 3. 

I. — Carefully notice the word ''faith/' 

1. Means belief (Heb. 11:1; Jas. 2:17-24) 

2. Means fidelity (Rom. 1:8; Matt. 23:23). 

3. Means the gospel (Acts 6:7; Gal. 1 :23; Rom. 1:5). 
This is no doubt its meaning in the text. 

4. The apostles delivered this faith unto the saints 
(Acts 2:31-42; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). 

H. — Reasons for contending for the faith. 

1. The faith had its opposers in the apostolic age, and 
has had them in every age since. 

2. From A. D. 325 to 1500 the faith was much cor- 
rupted by its pretended friends. 

3. We should contend for the faith because of its 
great value. 

4. The text commands us to contend for the faith. 

HI. — Some good people have false views of discussion. 
They are opposed to it. 

1. Argument for the sake of argument is not good. 

2. Lawyers and statesmen consider argument proper. 

3. Our reformers never could have accomplished their 
great work without discussion. 

4. The apostles vised argument (Acts 2:22-41; 17:22- 
31; 26:28). 



— 133 — 

5. Those who oppose argument not only condemn our 
lawyers, statesmen, the reformers and apostles, but they 
condemn themselves, for they argue against argument. 

IV. — The zvord ''contend'' in the text. 

1. The Greek word here rendered ''contend" is not 
used elsewhere in the New Testament. 

2. A different word is used in Acts 11:1; Jude 9. 

3. The idea is that we should make the gospel aggres- 
sive. Nearly the same thought is expressed in Phil. 1 :17. 

C0NCI.USI0N. 

The position of the Church of Christ is naturally ag- 
gressive. ''Defender of the Faith" is on A. .Campbell's 
monument. 

*'It will be a sad day for the Disciples when they 
cease to be aggressive" (H. W. Everest). 

One way to contend for the faith is to lead pure lives. 
Will we defend the faith once for all delivered unto the 
saints ? 

THE SABBATH. 

I. — Origin and history of the Sabbath. 

1. God rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:1-3). 

2. About twenty-five hundred years later it was given 
to Israel by Moses (Ex. 16:22-26). 

3. Some have concluded from Gen. 8:6-12 that Noah 
kept it, but no one can tell. 

4. See Ex. 20:10; Deut. 5:12-15; Ex. 35:1-3; Num. 
15:32-36. 

n. — Christ's teaching concerning the Sabbath. 

1. He taught that the Sabbath was made for man and 
not man for the Sabbath. 

2. He said he was Lord of the Sabbath. 



\ 



— 1M~ 

3. He taught that it was right to do well on the Sab- 
bath. 

4. He said that it was as well to heal a man on the 
Sabbath as it was to circumcise him. 

HI. — Why are Christians not required to keep the Sab- 
bath? 

1. See Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-13; 10:9. 

2. See Eph. 2:14-16; Gal. 3:24, 25; Rom. 7:4-7. 

3. Col. 2:13-17, shows clearly that Christians are not 
required to keep the Sabbath. 

4. The fourth commandment is not in the New Testa- 
ment, but the other nine are. This certainly would not 
be the case if Christ had intended his followers to keep 
the seventh day of the week. 

IV. — Why do Christians keep the first day of the week? 

1. Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the 
week. 

2. The Holy Spirit came on the first day of the week 
(Acts 2:1-4). 

3. Heb. 10:25 teaches that Christians should assemble 
themselves together and John 20:19, 26; Acts 20:7; 1 
Cor. 16:1, 2, tell when they should assemble and for 
what purpose. 

4. Church history teaches that Christ's disciples kept 
the first day of the week. See Justin Martyr, Eusebius, 
"Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," Neander, Mosheim, 
and Fisher's '^Church History," p. 118. 

CONCI.USION. 

Christians should not confuse the first day of the week 
with the Sabbath. Should not call the first day the Sab- 
bath, because it is not the Sabbath, and it makes con- 
fusion. Should not do anything on the first day which 
will conflict with Christian duty. 



— 135 — 

YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. 

.Tkxt — Matt. 5:13. 

I. — Explain the text, 

1. We know that salt will preserve things, if it is the 
right kind. 

2. The salt that has lost its savor is w^ell explained 
by Adam Clark in his comments on this verse. 

3. This text certainly teaches that Christ's disciples 
are to save the world. They are the instruments God 
uses to give the world light. 

4. Those who have lost the Spirit of Christ are good 
for nothing so far as saving the world is concerned, just 
as salt which has lost its savor is good for nothing, will 
not preserve anything. 

n. — Under the Old Covenant^ God made use of men tn 
revealing himself to the world, 

1. God preached righteousness through Noah. 

2. Moses conveyed God's messages to Israel in Egypt 
and in the wilderness. 

3. God spoke to the fathers by the prophets (Heb. 
1:1). See the message, sent to Nineveh through Jonah. 

HI. — When God wished to reveal new messages to His 
people, he did so through men, 

1. John the Baptist was divinely sent to prepare the 
Jews for the coming of Christ. God spoke through him 
instead of speaking directly from heaven. 

2. God spoke through His Son (Heb. 1 :2). See many 
important messages which Jesus delivered. 

3. When Christ's work on earth was done, he told his 
apostles to carry the glad tidings to all the world (Mark. 
16:15). 

4. Evangelists were to tell others what they learned • 
from the apostles (2 Tim. 2:2). 



— 136 — 

5. Not heavenly, but earthly messengers were to speak 
the word to those who needed to learn the plan of salva- 
tion (Acts 8:26, 27; 9:10-17; 10:34-43; 16:25-32>. 
IV. — God still intends to save the world through His 
children. 

1. We are to preach the same gospel which the apos- 
tles preached, though the condition of the world has 
changed. 

2. We must be qualified intellectually. The more a 
man knows of the gospel the better he can preach .it. 

3. Must be filled with the Spirit of the Master and 
show its fruit in our lives. Without this we are good 
for nothing, like the salt that has lost its savor. 

4. This lesson applies to all of Christ's disciples. The 
preacher will not be able to do much unless the mem- 
bers of the congregation will live and teach the gospel. 

C0NCI.USI0N. 

Remember God is depending upon us. It is always 
safe to reexamine ourselves and see if we are filled with 
the Spirit. 

LOT AND HIS WIFE. 
Te:xt— Luke 17:32. 

I. — Lofs history. 

1. His choice of the land (Gen. 13:10, 11). 

2. Rescued from captivity by Abraham (Gen. 14:16). 

3. Entertained angels (Gen. 19:1-14). 

4. Delivered from Sodom (Gen. 19:16). 

5. His wife became a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26). 
II. — Lofs character. 

' 1. He was a little selfish to take the best of the land, 
but acted about as business men do now. 
2. He was righteous (2 Pet, 2:7, 8), 



— 137 — 

3. His weakness caused him to pitch his tent toward 
Sodom (Gen. 13:12), and he finally went into Sodom, 
where his righteous soul w^as vexed. 

III. — Can zee pitch our tents toward Sodom? 

1. When we go to questionable places of amusement, 
we are pitching our tents toward Sodom. 

2. When we allow something to come between us and 
Christ, we are pitching our tents toward Sodom. 

3. When we allow our love to grow cold and become 
indifferent, our tents are in Sodom. Indifference is 
far worse than being in ancient Sodom. 

IV. — "Remember Lot's zvife/' 

1. She disobeyed God by looking back. 

2. Describe the terrible scene upon which she looked. 

3. We must not look back upon the wicked world, 
but look forward (Luke 9:60; Phil. 3:13, 14). Looking 
back will influence us to go back. 

TRIBULATION. 

Text— Acts 14:22. 

I. — Carefully consider the text. 

1. Notice the context. 

2. Tribulation means severe distress. 

3. Tribulation was between the disciples and the king- 
dom. 

4. The kingdom here is the everlasting kingdom. See 
also 2 Pet. Ml. 

II. — Other scriptures on the subject, 

1. John 16:33. 

2. Eph. 3:13. 

3. Rev. 1:9; 2:9. 

III. — Hozv should zve look at tribvdationf 
1. Rom. 5:3; 12:12. 



— 138 — 

2. 2 Cor. 7:4-6. 

3. Jas. 1 :2^. 

IV. — Examples of those who were benefited by tribula- 
tion, 

1. Abraham (Gen. 22:1-18). 

2. Joseph was benefited by being sold into Egypt and 
by being cast into prison. 

3. Daniel became more popular in Babylon by his 
persecutions. 

4. Stephen (Acts 7:54-60). 

5. John's banishment to Patmos resulted in his see- 
ing Jesus in his glorified state and the grandeur of the 
New Jerusalem. 

N ,—Our tribulations, 

1. They are not such as the apostles and the early 
Christians had. We live in a different age. 

2. We will have enough to try our faith. 

« 
^'In the furnace God may try thee, 

Thence to bring thee forth moTe bright; 
But can never cease to love thee, 
Thou art precious in his sight." 

3. They should bring us nearer to Christ (Rev. 7:14). 

"Is there any heart discouraged as it journeys on its way? 
Does there seem to be more shadow than there is of sunny day? 
O, 'tis hard to learn the lesson as v/e pass beneath the rod 
That the sunshine and the shadow serve alike the will of God. 
Still there comes to us the promise, like the promise in the bow, 
That, however deep the waters, they shall never overflow." 

SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND. 

Tkxt— ISA. 55:6. 
L — Carefully notice the context. 

1. This was spoken about 700 B. C. > 

2. Israel had gone away from God and Isaiah was 
trying to persuade them to come back. 



— 139 — 

3. Repeat Verses 1-3. 

4. Repeat Verse 7. 

11. — When may the Lord be found? 

1. He may be found any time he is sought in the 
right way. 

2. He may be found any time before you become 
hardened. 

3. The Lord has given us this life in which to seek 
him, and Hfe is very short with many. 

4. See Eccles. 12:1; Eph. 6:4; 2 Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:7, 
8, 15. 

111,-^Deathhed repentance, 

1. God may accept some who come to him in the hour 
of death. 

2. The majority of those who now repent on their 
deathbeds are different from the thief on the cross. It 
is probable that the thief accepted Christ the very first 
opportunity which came to him. 

3. Reason teaches that it is bad to spend your life in 
sin and then offer yourself to God in death. 

IV. — It will be very unsatisfactory^ if God should ac- 
cept you, 

1. You will have no time to enjoy your religion here. 

2. You will have no time to develop a Christian char- 
acter. 

3. No chance to help save others, and you will be 
compelled to wear a starless crown. 

We never knew one who repented in his last hour 
who did not regret having neglected to become a Chris- 
tian early in life. 



— 140 — 

THE KINGDOM OF GOD FIRST. 

Te:xt— Matt. 6:33. 

I. — The kingdom is to be sought, 

1. Man is a rational being and the kingdom is not to 
be forced upon him. 

2. The kingdom is made attractive so men will seek it. 

3. The kingdom should be sought because its object 
is to save men from sin and prepare them for heaven. 

4. The kingdom should be sought as soon as an op- 
portunity is given. 

II. — The essential elements of a kingdom. 

1. There can not be a kingdom without a king. 

2. The king must have a throne, a seat of power. 

3. There must be subjects over whom the king rules. 

4. There must be laws by which the king rules. 

5. The kingdom must extend over certain territory. 
III. — There are different zvays of seeking a kingdom, 

1. We seek to enter it. 

2. We may seek to keep it pure. 

3. Should seek its benefits. 

4. Should seek to increase the number of its subjects 
and to extend its territory. 

IV. — God's righteousness, 

1. Righteousness means right-doing. 

2. We must take God's standard of right. 

3. That of which the Jews were ignorant (Rom. 10: 
2, 3). 

4. Rich men can be righteous, if they use their wealth 
for the right purpose. 

V. — Other things zvill he added. 

1. Solomon sought wisdom and righteousness and 
other things were added. 

2. As a rule, the man who is righteous will get along 
better in this age than the wicked. 



— 141-^ 

3. Christianity produces wealth. 

4. If all would come to the foot of the cross, all finan- 
cial problems would be speedily solved. 

MARKS OF THE LORD JESUS. 
Tkxt— Gai.. 6:17. 

I. — Hozv had Paul been troubled? 

1. Those who had Jewish notions had troubled him 
in many places. 

2. They troubled him by trying to teach their Jewish 
ideas to the Galatians 

3. Paul had the care of all the churches, and any- 
thing which troubled them, troubled him. 

II. — What marks did Paid bcarf 

1. In Paul's time, the mark of the owner was branded 
on slaves and dumb brutes so he could prove that they 
belonged to him. 

2. Paul's marks were evidence that he belonged to 
Christ, though they were placed there by his enemies. 

3. 2 Cor. 11:23-27, tells how he received his marks. 
III. — A great change has taken place since Paul was here, 

1. Christians are not persecuted now as they w^ere in 
the first century. They are sometimes in perils among 
false brethren, but generally escape the other perils 
which Paul mentions. 

2. 1 Cor. 15:19, will not apply to us now, but it ap- 
plied to those who lived in the days of persecution. 

3. Christianity has been popular ever since the days 
of Constantine. 

4. An infidel can not be elected President of the United 
States. 

IV. — By what marks should Christians be knozvn now? 
1. Not literal marks on the body. 



— 142-- 

2. Our conduct should indicate that we have been 
with Jesus (Acts 4:13). 

3. Those who return good for evil, care for the wel- 
fare of others, do not say wicked things, and are free 
from hypocrisy, bear the marks of Jesus. 

4. To be loyal to divine authority is a mark of the 
Lord Jesus. 

5. To try to save the world is a mark of Jesus. If 
those who go to labor among the heathen do not show 
that they belong to Christ, no one does. 

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. 
Tkxt— Gal. 5:1. 

I. — The itniversal desire for liberty, 

1. The children of Israel desired to be free from the 
king of Egypt. 

2. The thirteen colonies desired to be free from the 
tyranny of Great Britain. 

3. The slaves would endanger their lives to get to the 
Northern States where they could be free. 

4. Thousands of people are coming to the United 
States because they wish more liberty. 

II. — Christ is the author of all true liberty. 

1. His Spirit gives liberty (2 Cor. 3:17). 

2. See Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:18-20. 

3. Christ's word moved the great reformers to fight 
for religious liberty. 

III. — Christ delivers from all kinds of bondage, 

1. From the law of Moses (Rom. 8:2; Gal. 3:13).^ 

2. From sin (Rom. 6:22). 

3. From the grave (Rom. 7:24, 25; 8:21-23; 1 Cor. 
15:53,54). 

4. Indirectly he delivers from all political and ecclesi- 
astical tyranny. 



— 143 — 

IV. — Our present duty, 

1. We should be very grateful to all who have aided 
us in securing our liberties. 

2. We should ever honor such men as John Huss and 
Jerome. 

3. Let us use our influence to liberate everybody from 
ecclesiastical bondage (Jude 3). 

4. It is plainly our duty to deliver the world from sin 
— let us observe the golden rule. 

5. We must not abuse -our liberty (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 
2:16). 

REPENTANCE. 
Text— Acts 3:19. 

I. — What is repentance? 

1. Not godly sorrow (2 Cor. 7:10). 

2. Not turning to God (Acts 3:19). 

'3. A change of mind — a change of will. 

4. When one learns that he is going in the wrong di- 
rection, he first decides that he will turn and go in the 
right direction. 

5. The prodigal son decided that he would go back 
to his father's house. 

II. — Repentance is commanded. 

1. Ezek. 14:6; Matt. 4:17; Mark 6:12. 

2. Luke 15:7; Matt. 9:10-13. 

3. 2 Pet. 3:9; Acts 17:30. 

4. Acts 8:22; Rev. 3:19. 

III. — What influences people to repent? 

1. All things are moved by a pull, or a push, or the 
two combined. 

2. The goodness of God leads to repentance (Rom. 
2:4). 



— 144 — 

3. Godly sorrow works repentance ( 2 Cor. 7:10). 

4. People are generally moved to repentance by the 
promises and threats of the Gospel — the pull and push. 
''A law without rewards and penalties attached is no law 
at air' (Garfield). 

5. The prodigal son was moved by the pull and the 
push. 

IV. — What are the benefits of repentance? 

1. No one can turn to God without repentance. 

2. Repentance is one of the conditions of pardon (Acts 
2:38). 

3. Prepares us for the judgment (Acts 17:30, 31). 

4. By repentance and prayer, the Christian is forgiven 
(Acts 8:22). 

V. — H,ow are people to manifest their repentance? 

1. By their fruits (Matt. 3:8; Acts 26:20). 

2. By confessing sin (Luke 15:21). 

3. By obeying the Lord (Acts 16:33). 

C0NCI.USI0N. 

All who are alienated from God are commanded to re- 
pent. Christians will need to repent as long as they are 
in the flesh. 

THE REASON OF OUR HOPE. 
Text— 1 Pet. 3:15. 

I. — The necessity of being reasoners, 

1. Great men are generally reasoners. 

2. Reason is a great aid in finding out truth. 

3. Some who oppose the truth are reasoners. 

4. See Isa. 1:18; Acts 24:25. 

H. — The lack of reason hinders the progress of Chris- 
tianity, 
1. A majority are influenced in their church relations 
by their parents and friends. 



— 145 — 

2. Many seem to follow tradition in religion more 
than in anything else. 

3. The Jews rejected Christ rather than give up the 
traditions of their fathers. 

4. If the heathen always hold the traditions of their 
fathers, they can never be converted to Christianity. 
III. — Reasons for believing the Bible. 

1. Where the Bible and science touch the same sub- 
jects, they are in perfect accord. 

2. There are many cg^es of fulfilled prophecy. 

3. The superior character of Christ and the influence 
of His teaching upon the world. 

4. The conclusive proof of Christ's resurrection. 

5. An uneducated farmer once said, "No human wis- 
dom could have produced the Bible.'' 

6. Even children can understand that Christianity is 
their only hope. 

IV. — The anszver zvhich should be given to those zvho 
believe the Bible. 

1. We have obeyed the law of pardon given in the 
comimission and in the Acts of Apostles. 

2. We have obeyed law of pardon for the Chris- 
tian (Acts 8:18-23). 

3. We have added to our faith (2 Pet. 1:5-13). 

CONCI.USION. 

Hear all claims and compare with the Bible. Give 
the answer with meekness and fear. Honor your father 
and mother by going as far beyond them as you can. 

THE PRECIOUS PROMISES. 
Tkxt— 2 Pkt. 1 :4.- 

I. — A description of these promises, 

1. Exceeding great and precious. 

2. They are yea and amen (2 Con 1 :20). 
10 



— 146 — 

3. They are conditional and unconditionaL 

4. Facts are to be believed, commands are to be obeyed, 
threats are to be feared, and promises are to be enjoyed. 
II. — Promises have power to move men. 

1. According to the value they place upon what is 
promised. 

2. According to the faith they have in the one who 
promises. 

III. — Name three unconditional promises. 

1. Seedtime and harvest (Gen. 8:21, 22). 

2. The general resurrection (John 5:28, 29). 

3. Christ's second coming (Acts 1:9-11). 
IV. — Name six conditional promises. 

1. Remission of sins. 

2. Adoption into God's family (Gal. 4:5). 

3. The gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 5:32; Gal. 
4:6). 

4. That all things work together for our good (Rom. 
8:28). 

5. The glorious resurrection (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15: 
44). • 

6. Eternal life (Rom. 2:7; John 3:16; Heb. 5:9). 

CONCIvUSION. 

These promises should move you now. 
Place a high estimate upon what God has promised 
you. 

Have strong faith in the one who has promised. 

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS. 
Text— LuK^ 16:19-31. 

I. — 7^ this a parable? 

1. Parable means a placing beside or together, a com- 
paring. 

2. Some scriptural statements are called parables. 



—147 — 

3. Luke 15:11-32 is not called a parable, but from 
the meaning of the word we can easily see that it is a 
parable. 

4. The statement concerning the rich man and Lazarus 
is not called a parable, and is not a parable in the light 
of the definition given above. We should regard it as 
a plain statement of facts. 

IL — State a fczv differences hctzveen these tzvo men. 

1. One rich and the other poor in this life. 

2. We may imagine that the funeral of the rich man 
was very elaborate, and that Lazarus scarcely had a de- 
cent burial. 

3. After death, Lazarus was comforted and the rich 
man was tormented. 

IIL — What condemned one and saved the other? 

1. The rich man was lost because his soul was corrupt. 
Perhaps he did not feed Lazarus. He was not right 
with God. 

2. Lazarus was saved because he was right with God. 

3. Riches did not condemn the rich man, neither did 
poverty save Lazarus. You may be as rich as the rich 
man and be saved, and be as poor as Lazarus and be lost. 
IV. — This sheds much light on the future zvorld, 

1. The rich man was conscious in the unseen world. 

2. Lazarus was comforted in Abraham's bosom. 

3. The rich man could see Lazarus. 

4. The gulf which separated them was fixed. No 
chance for a post-mortem gospel in the light of this 
statement. 

5. The rich man's requests were denied. 

CONCIvUSION. 

As our characters are here, so will they be in the next 
w^orld. The time on this earth is short. Our friends are 
over there. 



— 148 — 
OPINION, FAITH, AND KNOWLEDGE. 

I. — Opinion, faith, and knowledge outside of religion. 

1. It is the opinion of some that Lincoln was a greater 
man than Washington. Some are of the opinion that 
the stars are inhabited. 

2. That Juhus Caesar established the Roman Empiie, 
that Columbus discovered America, and that Washing- 
ton was the first president of the United States are mat- 
ters of faith. 

3. We know that we exist, that others exist, and that 
the world exists. 

II. — Opinion in religion. 

1. What hour of the day should we meet for worship, 
is a matter of opinion. 

2. The style and length of a sermon. 

3. The condition or state of the soul between death 
and the resurrection is largely a matter of opinion. 

4. The difference between the natural body and the 
spiritual body will be a matter of opinion until after the 
resurrection. 

5. The meaning of some difficult passages of Scrip- 
ture is a matter of opinion. 

III. — Matters of faith in religion. 

1. That the Bible is a revelation from God. 

2. That the writers of the Bible were inspired men. 

3. That Christ is God's Son (John 3:16; Rom. 10:9, 
10; 1 John 4:2, 3; 5:1). 

4. That Christ must be obeyed (Rom. 6:17; Heb. 5 :9) 
in order that we be saved from sin and enter the ever- 
lasting kingdom. 

TV.— What do we know in religion f 

1. That the Bible condemns murder (Ex. 20:13). 

2. That the Bible requires faith in God (Heb. 11:6). 

3. That the Bible states that we must believe in Christ. 



—149 — 

4. We know that repentance, confession and baptism 
are commanded (Acts 3:19; 2:38; Rom. 6:3, 4; Col. 
2:12; Rom. 10:9, 10). 

5. That God's people should be one (John 17:20, 21). 

THE VALUE OF THE SOUL. 
Text— Matt. 16:26. 

1,— Profit 

1. The great idea in business is profit. 

2. We go into society for the purpose of being bene- 
fited. 

3. We may have false notions of what profit is, but 
we always look for what we believe will benefit us in 
some way. 

n. — Loss is the opposite of profit. 

1. Loss of property may drive people into insanity. 

2. Loss of friends makes one very sad, and sometimes 
causes suicide. 

3. We may regret the loss of opportunity during time 
and eternity. 

Ill,— World. 

1. It means the earth. 

2. It means the wealth of the earth. This is perhaps 
the sense in which the word is used in the text. 

3. It means knowledge, fame and esteem. 

4. It means power to rule the world, such as Alex- 
ander the Great possessed. 

IV^—SouL 

1. Means life (Verse 25). 

2. It means the whole man (Gen. 46:27). 

3. Means the spirit (Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59). 

4. Matt. 10:28; Rev. 20:4. 

5. Tell what the soul can dOe 



— 150 — 



CONCIvUSION. 



No one can gain the whole world in any sense now, 
but if one could, it would profit him nothing, if he should 
lose his soul in gaining it. 

Can you answer this question? Will you let a few 
dollars keep you out of the kingdom of heaven? This 
text should continually ring in the ears of all business 
men. 

SELF-DENIAL. 
Text— Matt. 16:24. 

L — Of what must we deny ourselves? 

1. Not reason, convictions, or even our opinions. 

2. Of things as dear as an eye, a foot, or hand (Matt. 
18:8, 9). 

3. Our relatives and all we have (Matt. 10:37; Luke 
14:33). 

4. Of sin and worldly lust (Tit. 2:11, 12), 

IL — What is meant by taking up the cross f 

1. Not to speak in prayer-meeting, or carry some finan- 
cial burden. 

2. Not to suffer a little persecution. 

3. Christ took up his cross knowing that he would be 
crucified upon it, and we must forsake our own live« 
for Christ and His Church, if the circumstances should 
require. 

in. — In what sense are we to follow Jesus? 

1. His disciples followed him in person to Jerusalem, 
but we can not do so. 

2. After Jesus went to heaven, his disciples followed 
his example and his teaching. 

3. We can imitate his life and obey his precepts, 
IV. — Three important thoughts. 



— 151 — 

1. Some do not count the cost when they start to fol- 
low Christ (Matt. 8:19, 20; Luke 14:28-31). 

2. A large portion of the opposition to Christianity 
comes from those who are not willing to deny them- 
selves, take up the cross, and follow Jesus. 

3. God's children establish the divine claimis of Chris- 
tianity by submitting to the requirements in this text. 

THE USE OF THE TONGUE. 

Te:xt— Matt. 12:37. 

introduction. 

When a physician is called to see a patient he gener- 
ally looks at the tongue to ascertain the nature of the 
disease. What the tongue is to the physical man, our 
words are to the spiritual man. 

I. — What is meant by idle words? 

1. Not words used in ordinary conversation. 

2. Words spoken for no purpose. 

3. Words which do harm are worse than idle words. 

H. — There is much Bible teaching on this subject, 

1. Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6; Ps. 19:14. 

2. Jas. 3 :3-6. 

3. Jas. 3 :7, 8. 

4. Jas. 3:9-14. 

HI. — Examples of the bad use of the tongue, 

1. Talking about people when they are absent. 

2. Telling falsehoods — slandering people. 

3. Talking church matters to those out of the church. 

4. Very great sins have been committed with the 
tongue (Gen. 3:4, 5 ; Matt. 12:31, 32). 

IV. — Good uses of the tongue, 

1. Singing, praying, and preaching. 



— 152 — 

2. Talking kindly to people when they are present, 
and speaking kindly of them when they are absent. 

3. Great revolutions have been brought about by the 
use of the tongue. 

4. We will use some kind oi a tongue when vv^e praise 
God in the New Jerusalem. 

CONCIvUSlON. 

Would you like to have all of your words put into a 
phonograph? God will keep a strict account and they 
will meet us in the judgment. God will pardon our idle 
words, if we ask him in the right away. 

OBEDIENCE. 
Text— Rom. 6:17. ^ 

I. — No one is without obedience. 

1. Some obey God. 

2. Some obey the flesh. 

3. Some try to obey both God and Satan. God wishes 
cornplete obedience to His authority. 

II. — The blessings of obedience. 

1. The soul is purified by obedience (1 Pet. 1:22). 

2. We get the Holy Spirit by obedience (Acts 5:32). 

3. God hears the obedient (John 9:31). 

4. Christ is the author of eternal salvation to those 
who obey him (Heb. 5:9). 

III. — The result of disobedience, 

1. God's indignation and wrath are upon the disobedi- 
ent (Rom. 2:8, 9). 

2. See 1 Pet. 4:17, 18. 

3. Jesus will take vengeance on those who obey not 
the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8). 

IV. — Can zve do more than obey Godf 
\. We obey by hearing, 



— 153 — 

2. We obey by believing (Rom. 10:16). 

3. By repenting. 

4. By prayer and confession. 

5. By baptism and every Christian act which we per- 
form after we come into the Church. 

CONCI.USION. 

Remember obedience is from the heart. 

The form of doctrine is well explained in Wesley's 
Notes and Moses E. Lard's Commentary. 

Pardon takes place in heaven, and our obedience is 
the evidence that God has pardoned our sins. 

Obey from the heart now, and all your sins will be 
cancelled. 

FORGETTING THE THINGS WHICH ARE 
BEHIND. 

Text— Phii.. 3:13, 14. 

I. — What is meant. by forget f 

1. Not that we shall never think of the past. 

2. We should not let our minds dwell on the past. 

3. We should not think of the unpleasant things of 
the past so much that we neglect present duties. 

4. We can ''forgive and forget" in the sense in which 
Paul uses the latter word. 

II.— What had Paul to forget f 

1. His love for Judaism. 

2. His separation from his kindred. 

3. His persecution of the Church. 

4. His suffering, physical and mental. 

HI. — What have we to forget? 

1, Our sins, which are many. 

2, Our disappointments. 



— 154 — 

3. Even our sad bereavements should be forgotten to 
a certain extent. 

IV. — Things which help us to forget the past. 

1. Something new. Old theories are often forgotten 
by thinking of new ones. 

2. The converted heathen forget their idols by think- 
ing of Christianity. 

3. People leave their old homes in the East for better 
ones in the West, and largely forget the former by think- 
ing of the latter. 

4. Christians should forget bad and unpleasant things 
by thinking of good and pleasant things. 

CONCIvUSION. 

Infidels will never succeed in turning people away from' 
Christianity until they can offer something to take its 
place which is as good or better. Look forward and 
press forward as did Paul. Finish your course (Acts 
20:24). 

Become men and women in Christ. Look forward to 
your rest with Christ (Phil. 1:23). 

HINDERING CAUSES. 

Text— John 11:39. 

I. — Why did Jesus require the friends of Lazarus to re- 
move the stone? 

1. He could have taken it away himself. 

2. He could have raised Lazarus without having the 
stone taken away. 

3. He wished them to do their part, and he did not 
do it for them. 

4. Often people wish God to do everything, and are 
not willing to do anything themselves, but this Scripture 



— 155 — 

teaches that there is something on the human side to be 
done. 

11. — There are hindrances to the progress of Christianity 
nozv which the Church should remove. 

1. All bad feeling (1 Pet. 2:1). 

2. A disposition to rule or ruin. 

3. Indifference. 

4. Sectarianism (1 Cor. 3:3-5). 

III. — There are hindrances which the sinner must re- 
move before he can become a Christian, 

1. In many cases, ignorance must be removed. 

2. Prejudice must be removed before some will ever 
accept the pure gospel. 

3. Love for the world. 

4. Self-esteem (Matt. 18:3). 

5. All practices which are contrary to the divine will. 
IV. — God's part and man's part in the plan of salvation, 

1. What has God done for man? 

2. Could man do anything which God has done? 

3. God will never do man's part. If he should, man's 
will would be overpowered. 

4. Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, but required 
others to roll away the stone and remove the grave- 
clothes. He has done for us what we could not do for 
ourselves, and demands that we lay aside every hindrance 
and obey his commands. Will we do it? 

MEN CAN NOT DESTROY GOD'S WORKS. 

Text— Acts 5:38, 39. 

I. — The motto of Gamaliel is a good one for the present 
age, . 

1. Many revival meetings have come to naught because 
they were not conducted according to God's word. 

2. Many fads are going down because they are human. 



— 156 — 

3. If the Salvation Army is of God, we can not over- 
throw it, but if it be of men, it will come to naught. We 
should correct the false teaching of any religious body, 
but should never persecute it or misrepresent its teach- 
ing. 

4. The history of Universalism shows that God does 
not favor the doctrine. A large per cent of the Uni- 
versalist Churches which have been organized in this 
country have soon come to naught. 

II. — Gamaliel knew that God's work could not be over- 
thrown, 

1. He was a doctor of the law and acquainted with 
the history of God's people. 

2. He knew of the contest between Moses and the 
Egyptians. 

3. He had read of Joshua and the Canaanites. 

4. He had read of the battle between David and Go- 
liath. 

HI. — Many theories of religion are going down because 
they are the inventions of men. 

1. The abstract operation of the Holy Spirit. 

2. That Christ died to reconcile God to man. 

3. That denominationalism is right. 

4. In 1835 the Old School Baptists separated from the 
Regular Baptists because the former were opposed to 
missionary work, and the sequel has shown that their 
ideas were not of God. They have come to naught, while 
the Regular Baptists have become a powerful religious 
body. We will soon come to naught, both as churches 
and as individuals, if we fail to help send the gospel into 
all of the world. The history of missionary work shows 
that it is of God. 

IV. — Has Christianity come to naught? 

1, It made great progress while the apostles lived. 



— 157 — 

2. It survived the dark ages. 

3. All the infidels- from the days of the apostles down 
to Ingersoll have failed to overthrow it, and those to 
come will likewise fail. Many of tliem will be converted. 
Mr. M. O. Waggoner, the leading infidel of Ohio, united 
with the United Brethren Church a few years since. 

4. The present growth of Christianity indicates that 
the world will be converted during this century. 

CONCIvUSION. 

We need not worry about the final triumph of Chris- 
tianity. If we do our part, God will raise up those who 
will carry on our work to completion. 

THE NECESSITY OF KNOWING THE TRUTH. 
Ti:xT— John 8:32. 

I.— What is triiih? 

1. The quality of being true; as, (a) Conformity to 
fact or reality ; exact accordance with that which is, or 
has been, or shall be" (Webster). 

2. ''Fact means something done. The term deed^ so 
common in the reign of James I., is equivalent to our 
term fact. Truth and fact, though often confounded, are 
not the same. All facts are truths, but all truths are 
not facts. That God exists is a truth, but not a fact; 
that he created the heavens and the earth is a fact and 
a truth'' (A. Campbell). 

3. ''The truth" in the text means God's word, revealed 
through Christ (John 1:14, 17; 14:6; 17:17). 

4. There is much truth outside of the Bible, but it has 
nothing to do with man's salvation. The gospel is the 
only truth which can save the soul. 

11. — The truth is to he knozvn, 

1. God did m.uch to reveal his truth to the Jews 



— 158 — 

through the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms. 

2. It took the Saviour, the Holy Spirit, and the apos- 
tles to reveal the truth which frees from sin. 

3. God's servants are now publishing the Bible in 
three hundred different languages and sending out over 
400,000,000 copies each year. 

4. God wills that all men know his truth (1 Tim. 2 :4). 

5. All shall be taught (Matt. 28:19; John 6:45; 2 
Tim. 2:2). 

6. The gospel reaches both the mind and heart (Heb. 
8:10). 

III. — The idea of making people free implies that they 
are -in bondage, 

1. The bondage of Israel in Egypt was very trying. 

2. The American people so sympathized with the Cu- 
bans that they have given them their liberty. 

3. Nearly all the people in the United States are glad 
that African slavery is a thing of the past. 

4. Bondage to sin is the worst bondage the world has 
ever known. It is strange that so few are willing to be 
made free. 

IV. — The truth shall never fail. 

1. See Isa. 40:8; 55:11; Luke 21:33; 1 Pet. 1:23-25. 

2. God has magnified his word above his name, and 
of course he will not let it fail (Ps. 138:2). 

3. When we can have such grand conceptions of the 
truth as are expressed in the following words from the 
grand old hero, we will not be afraid that the truth will 
ever fail: 

''Truth, my friends, holy truth, stands upon the Rock 
of Ages. It lifts its head above the clouds, above the 
stars. It communes with God. It holds sweet converse 
with the hierarchs around the throne of the eternal King ; 
with those elders, sons of light, and with the spirits of 



— 159 — 

the mighty dead. It is the bright effluence of the bright 
essence of the uncreated mind. God spoke and truth was 
born. Its days are the years of God. Embodied in the 
word of God, it came down from heaven and became in- 
carnate. It is, therefore, immortal, and can not be killed. 
It will survive all its foes, and will stand erect when every 
idol falls. No one know^s its gigantic strength. It has 
been often cast dowm, but never destroyed. For ages 
past it has been gathering strength and preparing for 
a mightier conflict yet than time records. It needs no 
fleshly wasdom, nor worldly policy to give it power or 
gain it victory. It is itself redeeming, soul-redeeming, 
and disenthralling. It has passed through fire, and flood, 
and tempest, and is as fresh, as fair, as beautiful, as puis- 
sant as ever. I feel myself peculiarly happy in being per- 
mitted, in being honored, to stand up for it, when most 
insulted and disparaged by its professed friends. He 
that defends it feels the strength of mountains, as though 
girded with the everlasting hills. It gives him more than 
mortal strength, and enlarges his benevolence wdde as 
humanity itself. Though assailed with unbecoming rude- 
ness, it can not be destroyed. It is self-preserving and 
recuperative. Conceived in the bosom of everlastiag love, 
its aspirations are to its native heaven. Light and fire, 
earth's purest elements, are but the shadows of its glory. 
The tongues of lambent flame that sat upon the heads 
of the apostles were but indicative of its irradiating po- 
tency. But its language is that of love, of purity, and 
of peace. It reviles not again. Hence those holy men 
that Heaven commissioned to promulge and defend it, 
spake it in love and in meekness, wdiile their lips were 
hallowed, and their tongues were touched with live coals 
from the altar of Jehovah" (A. Campbell). 



— 160 — 

SOWING AND REAPING. 
T^xt—Gai.. 6:7, 8. 

i,—The sowing. 

1. We are all sowing. 

2. We sow to the flesh when we follow after the flesh 
(Rom. 8:1). 

3. If we follow after the Spirit, we sow to the Spirit. 

4. We know how to follow the Spirit by reading God's 
word, which is the sword of the Spirit. 

II. — The reaping, • 

1. We are in danger of reaping corruption of the flesh, 
both here and hereafter. 

2. We have power to reap life everlasting of the Spirit. 

3. The natural result of sowing to the flesh is corrup- 
tion, and the natural result of following the dictates of 
the Holy Spirit, as he speaks to us through the Word, 
is everlasting life. 

III. — This sowing has much influence on the world. 

1. Sowing to the Spirit influences the world for good. 

2. Sovv^ing to the flesh may send thousands to perdi- 
tion. • 

3. We may never be able to measure the benefits of 
Christ's refusing to sow to the flesh (Matt. 4:1-11). 

IV. — In some sense all must reap zvhat they have sown. 

1. Those who never come to Christ will reap to the 
fullest extent — 'they will be lost. 

2. Those who come to Christ and are saved will al- 
ways regret the sins committed before their conversion. 

3. Paul regretted having persecuted the Church (1 Cor. 
15:9). 

4. Jacob was a deceiver and he was deceived by his 
own sons. 

5. David sowed to the flesh, and had to reap, in his 



— 161 — 

own family, just what he had sown (2 Sam. 11:1-17; 
13:1-37). 

6. Haman sowed to the flesh when he arranged to have 
Rlordecai put to death, and he had to reap what he had 
50wn (Esth. 6:1-14; 7:1-10). 

CONCLUSION. 

The idea that a man can spend the best part of his 
dfe in the service of the evil one and then come to God 
and be made as happy as those who spend all their lives 
in the Church is a great mistake. 

"I walked in the woodland meadows, 
Where sweet the thrushes sing, 
And found, on a bed of mosses, 
A bird with a broken wing. 

I healed its wing, and each morning 
It sang its old, sweet strain, 
But the bird with the broken pinion 
Never soared so high again. 

I found a young life broken 

By sin's seductive art, 

And touched with a Christ-like pity, 

I took him to my heart. 

He lived with a nobler purpose, 
~ And struggled not in vain, 

But the life that sin had stricken 
Never soared' so high again. 

But the bird with a broken pinion 
Kept another from the snare. 
And the life that sin had stricken 
Raised another from despair. 

Each loss has its own compensation, 
There are healings for every pain, 
But the bird with the broken pinion 
Never soared so high again." 
11 



— 162 — 

These lines were written by one who had spent some 
time in the Illinois Penitentiary, and show clearly that 
all must reap what they have sown. We may commit 
sin and be pardoned, but we can never be so useful as 
we would have been, if the sin had never been committed. 
May the good Lord help us to sow to the Spirit, and of 
the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

THE GREAT WEDDING. 
T^xT— Matt. 22:1-14. 

I. — Notice the attractiveness of weddings. 

1. Nothing will draw so large a crowd as a wedding. 

2. The marriage relation has been much discussed in 
all ages. 

3. There is scarcely anything else which has so much 
to do with the happiness and elevation of the human 
family as the institution of marriage. 

II. — Marriage is a type of the Church. 

1. See the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). 

2. The Corinthians were espoused' to Christ (2 Cor. 
11:2). 

3. The disciples at Rome were married to Christ (Rom. 
7:4). 

4. See Eph. 5 :25-27 ; Rev. 19 :6-9 ; 21 :2, 9. 
III. — Analysis of the text, 

1. The King represents God. 

2. His Son represents Christ. 

3. The Church is the bride. 

4. The guests are both Jews and Gentiles. 

5. The servants are the prophets, apostles, evangelists 
and all others who call sinners to repentance. 

IV. — The time of the zvedding, 

1. The ceremony began over eighteen hundred years 
since, and is still in progress. 



— 163 — 

2. It will continue until the kingdom fills the earth 
(Dan. 2:35). 

3. The engagement among the Jews was considered 
marriage, but the wedding was not complete until the 
groom took the bride home with him. 

4. We are married to Christ here, but the wedding 
will not be complete until the Church militant becomes 
the Church triumphant (Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:6-9). 

V. — The king views the guests, 

1. One had failed to put on the wedding garment. 

2. The garment represents the righteousness of saints 
(Rev. 19:8). 

3. We will be speechless when we stand before the 
King, unless we shall have made our election sure. 

4. Many are formal members of Christ's body, but 
are not real members. All who are not truly united to 
Christ will be rejected when the marriage supper of the 
Lamb shall be completed. 

THE BREAD OF LIFE. 
Te:xt — John 6:35. 

I. — Importance of bread. 

1. Called the stafif of life. 

2. Bread is the most important article of food. 

3. The term sometimes includes other food (Matt. 6: 
ll;2Thess. 3:8). 

II. — Notice the context, 

. 1. Jesus had fed the multitude on five loaves and two 
fishes. 

2. The manna which Moses gave in the wilderness was 
not the true bread, but Jesus was to give them the true 
bread. 

3. Fully state what is said of the bread of life. 



— 164-- 

ill. — Hozv can we eat this bread? 

1. By keeping clean when mingling with the people 
of the world. 

2. By communing with God privately. 

3. By coming together to worship. 

4. By partaking of the Lord's Supper. 

5. By doing anything which Jesus has commanded. 

IV. — The necessity of eating this bread. 

1. Food for the soul is as necessary as food for the 
body. 

2. The food for the body sustains life a short time, but 
the bread which came down from heaven will give eter- 
nal life. 

3. This food must be eaten to keep the conscience cleai 
(Acts 24:16). 

4. No life is promised without partaking of this bread 
(Verse 53). 

CONCLUSION. 

Shall we keep the people from dying? 
Adam was kept away from the tree of life (Gen. 3 :24) 
but we will come to it through Christ (Rev. 22:1-3). 

SYMPATHY. 

Te:xt— John 11:35. 

I. — This brief statement suggests our subject, but does 
not state it, 

1. It shows that Jesus had sympathy. 

2. The world was needing sympathy at that time. 

3. He who has no sympathy is not a good man. 

4. This text and context have influenced many to com- 
fort those in sorrow. 

II. — The whole life of Jesus was one of sympathy. 
1. He was a man of sorrows (Isa.. 53:3). 



— 165 — 

2. He cast out demons, healed diseases, and set the 
captives free. 

3. He had compassion (Matt. 9:36; Luke 7:11-15). 

4. "I will not leave you comfortless" (John 14:18). 

5. "It is I, be not afraid" (John 6:20) 

6. ''Father, forgive them, for they know not what they 
do" (Luke 23:34). 

HL — Christ's disciples caught his idea of sympathy, 

1. Weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). 

2. Be kind, tender-hearted (Eph. 4:32). 

3. "I long to see you" (Rom. 1:12). 

4. Sympathy helped Paul (Acts 28:15). 

IV. — God's children are in need of sympathy. 

1. Even Christ needed to be strengthened (Luke 22: 
43). 

2. But for the sympathy of the angel, Elijah would 
have failed (1 Kings 19:5). 

3. We can not be useful in converting the world with- 
out sympathy. Jerry McAuley and Robert Morrison 
were both converted through sympathy. 

4. Those who think they are so strong that they need 
no sympathy will one day see their mistake. 

5. ''To help some one to be great by a word of sym- 
pathy is the next thing to being great" (Canon Farrar). 

CONCIvUSION. 

The more we learn about humanity, the more we will 
see that the great need is sympathy. The closer we 
walk to Christ, the more sympathy we will have for the 
world. 



— 166 — 

CONVERSION. 

Text— Acts 26:20. 

I. — Scriptural statements, 

1. The word translated ''convert" in Jas. 5:19, 20, is 
translated ''turn" in the text. 

2. Turn is the literal meaning of the word (Matt. 
5:39). 

3. The Greek word is in the active voice in Matt. 13: 
15; 18:3; Mark 4:12; Luke 22:32; John 12:40; Acts 3: 
19 ; 28 :27, and is so translated 'in the revised version. 

II. — What is the process of conversion? 

1. It is by the law of the Lord (Ps. 19:7). 

2. The facts of the gospel are given (1 Cor. 15:1-4). 

3. The commands, threats and promises are presented 
to the mind. 

4. After one knows the facts, commands, threats and 
promises he can turn, if he desires. 

5. The process is so simple that the Jews stumbled 
at it and the Greeks thought it foolishness (1 Cor. 1 :23). 

III. — The evidence of conversion, 

1. The mariner knows when his ship is going in the 
right direction by looking at his compass. 

2. When one learns the plan of salvation he knows 
v/hich way to turn. 

3. He knows when he turns from sin just as well 
as he knows when he turns his body. 

4. He can always tell when his face is turned toward 
God by reading the duty of Christians as given in the 
New Testament, and may be as sure as the mariner is 
when he looks at his compass to see if his vessel is head- 
ed in the proper direction. 

IV. — Hozi) long zmll it take to turn? 
L It takes some a long time. 



— 167 — 

2. Those who were converted on Pentecost were per- 
haps turned instantly. 

3. Paul turned just as soon as he received the light, 
but the education which he had received from his youth 
up prepared him for the reception of the new truth. 

4. When all the influences are considered many con- 
versions are both instantaneous and gradual. 

CONCIvUSION. 

Repeat Acts 3:19 from the revised version. 

Repeat the text. 

Urge all to completely turn frorq, all sin and remain 
turned during life, and the Master will say, ''Come up 
higher/' 

THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. 
T^xT— Matt. 9:12. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The idea of a physician implies that there is a disease. 
In this case the disease is sin. 

I. — Describe the disease. ^ 

1. It is an epidemic (Rom. 5:12; 3:23; Gal. 3:22). 

2. It is contagious (Prov. 16^29; Ps. 1:1; 1 Cor. 15: 
33). 

3. Affects the whole man (Isa. 1:5, 6). 

4. Fatal (Ezek. 18:4; Jas. 1:15; Rom. 6:23). 

5. Incurable by men. 

II. — The physician, 

1. He is able (Matt. 11 :28-30; Heb. 7:25). 

2. He is willing (Matt. 23:37; 2 Pet. 3:9; Rev. 3:20). 

3. He is candid, he will not refuse to tell you your 
true condition. ''The soul that sinneth it shall die,'' un- 
less healed by the great Physician. 



— 168 — 

III. — What remedy does he use? 

1. His remedy is the gospel (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15 '• 
1-4). 

2. The remedy must be taken. 

3. It is a sure cure when taken according to directions. 

4. Tell how the remedy should be taken. 

TV,— Some very simple illustrations, 

1. When you set food before a hungry man, and he 
refuses to eat and starves, who is responsible ? 

2. If a very sick man refuses to take the only remedy 
that promises a cure and dies, who is to blame? 

3. Is God unjust to punish those who willfully refuse 
to obey the gospel ? 

CONCLUSION. 

The seeds of this dread disease are in all of us, and 
' we need to apply the remedy daily. 

Many are dying for want of this remedy. Shall we 
give it to them ? 

If we refuse to be saved when the remedy is within 
our reach, we bring our own punishment upon us. Take 
the remedy as God has given it to us, and your salvation 
will be sure. 

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. 
Text— Tit. 2:11, 12. 

I. — What is character? 

1. See Webster. 

2. Character differs from reputation. Reputation is 
what the people think a man is, but character is what 
he really is. 

3. A man may have a good character and a bad repu- 
tation and vice versa. Christ made himself of no repu- 
tation (Phil. 2:7), but v/as perfect in character. 



—169 — 

4. Character and reputation are the same in the sight 
of God. 

II. — JVhaf arc the elements of an approved character? 

1. The statements in the text. 

2. Fear God and obey him (Eccies. 12:13; Acts 10: 
34). 

3. Love is above all other elements (Col. 3:14). 

4. The elements of a Christian character are fully dis- 
cussed in the Epistles. 

III. — Hozi^ does character come? 

1. Character is not sent directly from heaven mto a 
man's soul, as some have taught. 

2. God's will has been revealed to us and we can sub- 
mit to it, if we will. To say that we can not is absurd. 

3. Character comes gradually. It is just as im.possible 
for one to get a complete character in one day as it is 
for an infant to grow to manhood in one day. 

IV. — The motives which prompt us to build a Christian 
character. 

1. Fear of being lost. 

2. A desire to be saved. 

3. Conscience (Acts 24-16) . 

4. Love is the highest motive, and the nearer we get 
to the eternal city, the more we will be moved by love. 
The idea has been advanced that when we are gathered 
around the great white throne, conscience will give way 
to love. It is a happy thought that we will be controlled 
entirely by love when we get hom^e to heaven. 

CONCI.USIOX. 

The father w^atches over his child anxiously to see 
that the proper development takes place, and just so God 
watches over his children and is anxious to see them de- 
velop in Christian character. 



— 170 — 

CHRIST'S LIFE AND TEACHING ARE 
CONSISTENT. 

Text— Matt. 17:5. 

introduction. 

The Father was well pleased with the Son because the 
Son's life and teaching were consistent. 

I. — His life was in harmony with the general principles 
which he taught, 

1. He taught humility (Matt. 23:11, 12), and he was 
humble (Phil. 2:7, 8). 

2. He rebuked hypocrisy and all other sins, and was 
free from all. 

3. He taught the great law of love, and exemplified it 
to perfection. 

4. He taught self-denial (Matt. 16:24), and practised 
it to the fullest extent (Matt. 8:20; Phil. 2:6-8; John 
17:5; 2 Cor. 8:9). 

II. — He taught his disciples their duty to others, and his 
life agreed with his teaching, 

1. He taught the golden rule, and no one can show 
fhat he ever violated it in the least. 

2. He taught his disciples to forgive, and he forgave 
even those who put him to death. 

3. He taught his disciples to pray for their enemies, 
and he prayed for his enemies. 

4. Through Paul, he taught his disciples to seek the 
welfare of others (Phil. 2:4), and his whole life was 
spent for others. 

III. — Duty to God, 

1. Christ taught obedience (Matt. 7:21), and he was 
obedient (Phil. 2:8). 

2. He required baptism (Mark 16:16), and willingly 
submitted to it (Matt. 3:13-17). 



— 171 — 

3. Christ enjoined secret prayer (Matt. 6:6), and prac- 
tised it (Matt. 14:23; 26:39-44). 

CONCI.USION. 

Are our acts consistent with our profession? 

Look at Christ's life more than at the Hves of his dis- 
ciples. We can well afford to follow such a teacher as 
Jesus. 

He claimed to be divine, and the harmony between his 
life and teaching proves his divinity. 

THE OUTWARD AND INWARD IN RELIGION, 
Tkxt— Rom. 2:28, 29. 

I. — Both the outward and mzvard are necessary. 

1. In offering sacrifice, the bringing of the victim and 
placing it upon the altar was the outward, and the con- 
dition of heart which prompted those who did so was the 
inward. 

2. When the Jews kept the Sabbath, abstaining from 
labor was the outward, and the desire to please God was 
the inward. 

3. Confession with the mouth is the outward, and the 
belief in the heart is the inward (Rom. 10:9, 10). 

4. In baptism, being covered by the water is the out- 
ward, and the submission of the human will to the divine 
will is the inward. 

II. — Many Scriptures teach the inner. 

1. The women mentioned in Matt. 27:55; Luke 7:38; 
John 20:11-15, were evidently right at heart. 

2. See Eph. 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:4. 

3. The inner is emphasized in the New Covenant more 
than in the Old (Heb. 8:8-13; 2 Cor. 3:3). 

III. — Those zvho neglected the inner. 

1. The Pharisees (Matt. 23:27, 28; l5:8). 



— 172 — 

2. Those who had a mere form of reHgion (2 Tim. 
3:5). 

3, Those who were neither cold nor hot (Rev. 3:15, 
16). 

IV.— -Danger of formalism, 

1. We may read the Bible and the heart not be in- 
fluenced. 

2. There is danger that our prayers become a matter 
of form (Matt. 6:6, 7). 

3. We should avoid formalism in singing (Col. 3:16; 
Eph. 5:19). 

4. There is danger of partaking of the loaf without 
discerning the Lord's body (1 Cor. 11:29). 

V. — This inner culture is necessary to success. 

1. The man who becomes a literary iceberg vv^ill not 
succeed in the ministry. 

2. The heart-power of Marcus Aurelius made him 
great. 

3. Why is Washington so revered? Webster was a 
greater statesman, Napoleon was a greater warrior, but 
Washington had a heart. 

MORDECAI AND HAMAN. 
Tkxt— ESTH. 5:12, 13. 
I. — Give mi outline of the Book of Esther. 

1. The case of Vashti. 

2. Mordecai and Esther. 

3. Haman's plot to destroy the Jews. 

4. Esther saves her people. 

5. Haman and Mordecai exchange places. 

II. — Haman was jealous of Mordecai. 
*1. Define jealous}^ 
2. Sinful jealousy is very wrong. 



— 173 — 

3. Godly jealousy is right (Ex. 20:5; 34:14; 2 Cor. 
11:2). 
III. — -Examples of sinful jealousy. 

1. Satan was jealous of Adam and Eve. 

2. Cain was jealous of Abel. 

3. Joseph's brethren w^ere ;iealous of him, and sold him 
into Egypt. 

4. King Saul was jealous of David. 

5: The Jew^s were jealous of Christ. 

6. The older son was jealous of the younger (Luke 
15:28-30). 
IV — To what will jealousy lead? 

1. Envy. 

2. MaHce. 

3. Slander. 

4. Violence. 

CONCI.USION. 

It is neither policy nor principle to be jealous. All 
Other 'things being equal, the jealous person is at a dis- 
advantage in society, in the Church, and in politics. It 
was poor policy for Saul to get jealous of David, and for 
Haman to get jealous of Mordecai. Everyone should 
commit Rom. 12:10; Phil. 2:2. Oh, that we might see 
the day when the preachers and editors would cease to 
be jealous of each other ! 

'If thou art anj^thing, keep still, 

In patience all will work out well, 
For you may put him where you will, 
And the real man will always tell." 

CHANGE OF HEART. 

Text— Matt. 5:8. 
I. — What is the meaning of the term ''hearf'f 

1. See Webster and the Hebrew and Greek words. 

2. See 1 Chron. 22:7; 28:2. 



— 174 — 

3. See Ps. 51 :17 ; 55 :21 ; 2 Sam. 15 :6. 

4. See Matt. 9:4; 6:21. 

11. — The natural condition of the heart. 

1. Experience teaches that man's heart naturally goes 
after the things of the world. 

2. See Gen. 6:5; 8:21. 

3. See Matt. 15:18, 19. 

4. See Jer. 17:9. 

in. — How is the heart purified? 

1. We have some power (Ezek. 18^31 ; Jas. 4:8). 

2. By faith (Acts 15:9). 

3. By obedience (1 Pet. 1:22). 

IV. — Importance of a pure heart, 

1. The pure in heart shall see God. 

2. Ezek. 18:31. 

3. The pure in heart shall stand in the holy place 
(Ps. 24:3-5). 

V. — Wherein the heart is already pure it needs no change, 

1. Those who are moral, honest and upright need not 
change in those particulars. 

2. The one whose heart is right toward his family and 
friends need not change his heart toward them, unless he 
can love them more. Christianity will help him to love 
them more. 

3. Cornelius was not required to change his heart 
wherein it was already right (Acts 10:1-6; 11:14). 

4. Those whose hearts are not willing to obey Christ 
and come into his Church need to change them. 

C0NCI.USI0N. 

Some may not change their hearts because they do not 
understand the necessity of it. Some do not change their 
hearts because they love sin. The impure in heart shall 
not see God. 



— 175 — 

GOD'S ESTIMATE OF MAN. 
Text— Ps. 8:5. 

INTRODUCTION. 

"He who through vast hnmensity can pierce, 
See worlds on worlds compose one universe, 
Observe how system into system runs. 
What other planets', circle other suns, 
What varied beings people every star, 
May tell why God has made 'Us as we are." 

While we may not tell why God has made us as we 
are, we can see that God places a high value upon us. 
I. — God has done much for mans physical nature, 

1. Gave him dominion over the lower animals. 

2. Fitted up the earth for man's happiness. 

3. He deposited many things in the earth for man's 
benefiL (1) Coal; (2) Gold and silver; (3) Oil; 
(4) Gas. 

II. — What does man Possess zvhich other animals have 
not? 

1. Man has power to reason. 

2. Has will-power. 

3. Has a conscience. 

4. Has an immortal soul. 

5. He has God's own image. Shakespeare has well 
said: ''What a piece of work is man! How noble in 
reason ! How infinite in f aC:ulties ! In form and mov- 
ing, how express and admirable ! In action, how like 
an angel ; In apprehension, how like a God ! The beau- 
ty of the v/orld ! The paragon of animals V 

''How poor, how rich, how abject, how august, how 
complicate, how wonderful is man! How passing won- 
der He who made him such!" 
III. — God has done much for fnan's salvation. 

1. See all that was done under the Old Covenant. 



— 176 — 

2. He sent Christ (John 3:16). 

3. He sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles so 
that all the world might learn the truth through their 
spoken and written word. 

4. He has prepared heaven for all who will accept it. 

IV. — Man compared with the angels, 

1. Man was made lower than the angels (Heb. 2:7). 

2. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels (Heb. 
2:9). 

3. Jesus was made better than the angels (Heb. 1 :4). 

4. The sons of God have the promise of being like 
Christ (1 John 3:2), and will therefore be higher than 
the angels. 

C0NCI.USI0N. 

We should discriminate between a man and his sins, 
but it is not always easy to do so. God esteems man, 
notwithstanding his sins, and we should esteem him suf- 
ficiently to try to save him. We should esteem our- 
selves high enough to let no man take our crown (Rev. 
3:11). 

THE GOSPEI^ IS GOD'S DYNAMITE. 
Te:xt— Rom. 1:16. 

1,— Consider the term ''gospel,'' 

1. It means glad tidings, or good news. 

2. See the statement made by the heavenly host (Luke 
2:13,14). 

3. Paul tells v/hat the gospel Is (1 Cor, 15: 1-4). 

4. Embraces facts, commands, threats and promises. 
Commands and threats are not good news to those who 
are disobedient, but they are to those who love God and 
keep his commandments. 



— 177 — 

11.— The term ''pozvcr/' 

1. It comes from the Greek word for dynamite. 

2. We have physical, mental, moral a;id spiritual 
power. 

3. The word here means moral or spiritual power. 

4. The text does not say that the gospel is a power, 
but the power of God unto salvation. 

III. — The gospel is God's power unto salvation to those 
zvho believe. 

1. All rational beings can believe after they have the 
evidence. 

2. Children, idiots, and insane people can not believe, 
but they are not required to believe. 

3. Anyone who does not have the faith faculty is not 
required to believe. We can not always tell who has 
the power to believe, but God can tell, and he is the 
judge. 

4. It is the divine will that all have the opportunity 
to believe. 

IV. — Not ashamed of the gospel. 

1. Paul was not. (1) It had given him light when 
he was in darkness; (2) He realized that the gospel had 
given him hope of eternal life. " 

2. See how it uplifts the heathen. 

3. Should we be ashamed of it? 

CONCIvUSION. 

Believe the facts, fear the threats, obey the com- 
mands, and enjoy the promises. 

God's dynamite will save all who believe and obey it. 

12 



— 178 — 

GROWTH OF THE CHRISTIAN. 

Tkxt— 2 Pet. 3:18. 

I. — Things zvhich precede growth, 

1. The new birth, or regeneration. 

2. ReconciHation. 

3. Pardon. 

4. Adoption. 

5. Gift of the Spirit. 

II. — The growth of the body. 

1. The child should be born in a healthful condition. 

2. It should have proper food. 

3. Good atmosphere. 

4. The right kind of exercise. 
III. — Grozv in grace, 

1. Grace means favor. 

2. We must be in grace before we can grow in grace. 
Those whom Peter addressed were in favor. 

3. Jesus grew in grace (Luke 2:52). 

4. State what should be the food, atmosphere and ex- 
ercise of the Christian. 

IV. — Grozv in knowledge. 

1. We must study the life of Christ. 

2. Associate with those who know much and those 
who know little. 

3. This will save you from many heresies. Those 
who go off into isms are those who do not not study the 
Bible. 

4. We can never have a thorough knowledge of Je- 
sus without putting in practice his teaching. 

CONCIvUSlON. 

We must grow individually. We must grow as a 
Church. We can not grow without trying to save 

Others. 



— 179 — 

What is most in the way of our Christian growth? 
We say that self is most in the way. 

HAS GOD EVER FAILED TO FULFILL HIS 
PROMISES? 

Tkxt— 2 Pet. 3:9. 

I. — Often God's children have not rested in his prom- 
ises as they should. 

L Because the flesh is weak. 

2. We are incHned to judge God by man. 

3. We get impatient for the fulfillment of the prom- 
ises. 

4. Notwithstanding what Aaron had seen God do for 
Israel, he was weak enough to make a golden calf while 
Moses was on the mountain receiving the law. John 
the Baptist had plenty of evidence that Jesus was di- 
vine, but when he was shut up in that dark prison he 
began to doubt and sent messengers to Jesus to inquire 
if he was really the Christ. 

II. — Examples of those who have fully trusted the prom- 
ises. 

1. Abraham saw them far away and staggered not 
(Rom. 4:20). 

2. Job trusted them in his great affliction. 

3. Daniel trusted them in a den of lions. 

4. Shortly before Isaac Errett's death he wrote a let 
ter to a friend in California in which he said: '1 find 
nothing better than to put my trust in the Lord.'' 

III. — Why will God fulfill his promises? 

1. He is just, and will keep his word. 
.2. The promises in Gen. 8:22; 22:18 have been ful- 
filled. 



— 180 — 

3. He will fulfill his promises because he loves us. 

4. It is for his own glory to fulfill them (2 Cor. 1 :20). 

"God never yet forsook in need 
The soul that trusted him indeed.'* 

IV. — If we are as certain to do^ our part as God is to 
do his, all zvill be well. 

1. It is our part to obey and be adopted, and God will 
give us the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32; Gal. 4:6). 

2. If we have Christ's Spirit and die in him, God will 
raise us from the grave (Rom. 8:11 ; 1 Cor. 15:15, 44). 

3. It is our part to love God and his part to make all 
things work together for our good (Rom. 8:28). 

"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, 
But trust him for his grace* 
Behind a frowning providence 
He hides a smiHng face.'* 

God's children should learn to have the same faith in 
him which a little child has in the earthly father. When 
our dear little Florence, who recently went home to 
heaven, was about three and a half years old, we cam.e 
to San Francisco Bay, and she looked up into her moth- 
er's face and said, ''My papa can carry me across the 
water." This touched us deeply at the time, but touches 
us more deeply now. May we have trust in our heaven- 
ly Father until we are gathered home to meet the dear 
little one who had so much faith in her earthly father, 
and never had a doubt of the existence and goodness 
of the Father above. 

PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE. 

Text— Rom. 12:1. 

I. — Importance of the body, 

1. We admit the pre-eminence of the soul (Matt. 10: 
28), yet the body is important. 



— 181 — 

2. Christ honored the human body by Hving ni it for 
over thirty years. 

3. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19- 
21). 

4. The spirit, soul and body should be preserved 
blameless (1 Thess. 5:23). 

11^ — What is addressed in the text? 

1. The mmd is the man proper. 

2. The mind controls the body (1 Cor. 9:27). 

3. The mind should be controlled by the word of God. 
III. — The sacrifice. 

1» A living animal was selected for sacrifice, and our 
bodies must be active in God's service continually. 

2. "Holy, acceptable unto God.'' 

3. Rom. 6:12; 8:13, tell how to present the body. 

IV. — This is nothing more than our reasonable service. 

1. Somie contend that God requires too much of us. 

2. A mean man is often dissatisfied with a good bar- 
gain. 

3. If we count one-half of God's mercies, we will con- 
sider the service vv^hich he exacts of us very reasonable. 

4. The yoke is easy (Matt. 11:30). 

CONCI.USION. 

A good church-building, good music, good preaching, 
and plenty of money are great helps in building up a 
church ; but that which is absolutely necessary is a con- 
secrated membership. One hundred Christians who will 
present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable 
unto God, and consider it nothing more than their rea- 
sonable service, can revolutionize any community in the 
United States. 



— 182 — 

SANCTIFICATION. 

Text— John 17:17, 19. 

introduction. 

We believe in sanctification. All who believe the Scrip- 
tures must accept the doctrine as it is mentioned many 
times in the Bible. 

I. — The teaching of the Old Testament. 

1. The Sabbath was sanctified (Gen. 2:3; Deut. 5: 
12). 

2. The tabernacle and the priests (Ex. 29:44; lycv. 
8:8-10, 30). 

3. God sanctifies and is sanctified (Ezek. 37:28; Isa. 
8:13; Num. 20:12). 

4. The mountain was sanctified (Ex. 19:12, 23). 

II. — The teaching of the New Testament, 

1. See 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11; Eph. 5:26; 1 Thess. 5:23; 
Heb. 13:12. 

2. 1 Pet. 3:15. 

3. Jude 1. 

III. — What does the word mean? 

1. The Greek word here rendered ''sanctify'' means 
to separate, to consecrate, to cleanse, to purify. 

2. It does not mean absolute perfection. Paul regard- 
ed the Corinthians as far from perfect, yet they were 
sanctified (1 Cor. 1:2). 

3. God gives a perfect law, but we can not perfectly 
keep it. If we come to him through Christ, he will par- 
don our imperfections (1 John 2:1). 

4. Rom. 7:14-25; 1 Cor. 9:27; 1 John 1:7^10, teach 
very clearly that we can not reach perfection in this 
life, 



— 183 — 

IV. — How should zve treat those who clmm that they 
have reached perfection? 

1. Teach them that they are mistaken, if they are will- 
ing to learn. 

2. Tell them that if they think they are perfect, they 
should keep still and let people judge from their ac- 
tions whether they are perfect or not. 

3. Watch them. If they are perfect, watching will 
not hurt them, and if they are not perfect, they will 
need watching. 

CONCIvUSION. 

We should be sanctified. Remember what the word 
means. Become as near perfect as possible, but do not 
boast. 

THE SOUL'S ANCHOR. 
Te:xt— Heb. 6:19. 

I. — What is the meaning of hope? 

1. ''A desire of some good, accompanied with at least 
a slight expectation of obtaining it, or belief that it is 
obtainable" (Webster). 

2. Hope always looks to the future (Rom. 8:24). 
. 3. See Acts 23:6; 24:15; 1 Thess. 4:13). 

II. — The anchor. 

1. ''This figure is not used elsewhere in the Bible, but 
in the Greek and Roman classics, and also on the ancient 
coins an anchor is often used as an emblem of hope" 
(R. Milligan). 

''To ground hope on a false assumption is like trust- 
ing in a weak anchor" (Socrates). 

2. The largest anchor of a ship is the sheet anchor. 
In stress of storm it is sometimes the seaman's last 



— 184 — 

refuge to prevent the ship from going ashore. Hence 
it has come to mean the chief support; the last refuge 
for safety. ''Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor 
of your liberties ; write its precepts in your hearts and 
practice them in your lives. To the influence of this 
Book are we indebted for all the progress made in true 
civilization, and to this must we look as our guide in 
the future" (U. S. Grant). 

3. Only those who have been on the ocean in a storm 
can fully appreciate the anchor, and only those whose 
souls have been sorely tried can fully appreciate the hope 
of the gospel. 

4. This anchor is *'both sure and steadfast.'' - 

HI. — Benefit of hope, 

1. Men could not do business without hope (1 Cor, 
9:10). 

2. It enables us to rejoice (Rom. 5:2; 12:12). 

3. Its benefits can be seen by looking at those who 
have no hope: (1) Many of us know what it is to have 
earthly hopes blasted; (2) IngersoU needed the hope 
of the gospel at his brother's grave. He said: ''But in 
the night of death hope sees a star and listening love 
can hear the rustle of a wing." This falls far below 
the hope of the gospel:. (3) Hume's mother, on her 
deathbed, sent this message to her son, "My son, yoi 
have taken away my religion; now tell me something 
to comfort me." (4) '1 must die, abandoned of God 
and of men" (Voltaire). He was without God in tht 
world and had no hope (Eph. 2:12). 

IV. — This hope reaches within the vail, 

1. The Hebrews knew of the most holy place within 
the vail of the temple, which typified heaven. 

2. Where Jesus has gone as our forerunner (Heb. 
6:20). 



— 185 — 

3. The Quaker poet's hope looked within the vail, and 
. was far better than that of IngersoU and others. 

*'Yet love will dream and faith will trust — 
(Since he who knows O'Ur need is just) 
That somehow, somewhere, meet we must/' 

4. James G. Blaine expressed the true hope when he 
said of Garfield, 'Xet us think that his dying eyes read 
a mystic meaning which only the rapt and parting soul 
may know. Let us believe that in the silence of the 
receding world he heard the great waves breaking on 
the other sh6re, and felt already upon his wasted brow 
the breath of the eternal morning." 

CONCI.USION. 

The ground of our hope is faith (Heb. 11:1). 
Be ready to give a reason for our hope (1 Pet. 3:15). 
See 1 Pet. 1:3; Col. 1:27. We must be in Christ, or 
Christ will not dwell in us. 

WE MUST FORGIVE EACH OTHER. 
Text— Matt. 6:14, 15. 

I. — Jesus knew that one member of his Church would 
be likely to sin against OMother. 

1. The very idea of forgiveness implies that an offense 
has been committed. 

2. Offenses must come (Matt. 18:7). 

3. Many offenses are only imaginary, but Jesus has 
reference to real offenses. 

n. — In case zve are really wronged by a brother, Matt. 
18:15-17 tells us what Course to pursue, 

1. If the sin is of such mxagnitude that we can not 
pass it by, w^e should first go alone to the ofifender and 
try to get him to make the matter right. 



— 186 — 

2. If he will not hear, then take witnesses. 

3. If he will not hear the witnesses, we should re- . 
port to the Church. 

4. If he will not hear the Church, we may count him 
as a heathen man. 

III. — The importance of forgiving each other. 

1. No church can prosper without the spirit of for- 
giveness. 

2. Instead of following the instructions of the Saviour 
which he gives in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, 
church members will often tell their friends and work 
up as much feeling as possible against the one who has 
committed the wrong. 

3. See Matt. 18:21, 22; Eph. 4:32. 

4. In the light of the text, we can not be saved un- 
less we forgive those who sin against us. 

IV. — Are we to forgive without repentance? 

1. See the different meanings of forgive. 

2. We can not place the brother back where he was 
before he committed the offense, until he repents, but 
we can cherish a forgiving spirit — be ready and anxious 
to forgive him. 

3. We are to forgive as God forgives. 

THE SIN OF REJECTING CHRIST. 
Text— John 3:18. 

I. — It is a sin not to believe on Christ, 

1. The text teaches that the one who has refused to 
believe is in a state of condemnation. 

2. Verse 19 shows that men refused to believe when 
they had power and opportunity to believe. They loved 
darkness rather than light. 

3. See Mark 16:16; John 16:8, 9. 

4. See John 3 :36 ; Heb, 3:12. 



— 187 — 

11. — The fact that it is necessary to accept Christ is evi- 
dence that it is a great sin to reject him. 

1. Notwithstanding the goodness and piety of Cor- 
nelius, he had to accept Christ in order to be saved 
(Acts 10:1-6; 11:14). 

2. See Matt. 11:28-30; John 14:6. 

3. See Acts 4:12. 

III. — It is difficult to estimate how great is the sin of 
rejecting Christ, 

1. Some think it is as great as murder, or any im- 
moral act which man can commit. 

2. Public sentiment does not regard it as half so bad 
as many other things. 

3. The Scriptures quoted teach that it is very great 
— great enough to condemn us. 

4. If we will look at the sufferings of Christ in the 
right light, we will be able to judge of the magnitude 
of the sin of rejecting him. 

IV. — Some important questions, 

1. Do you know what the Bible says about the sin of 
rejecting Christ? 

2. Do you believe what the Bible says is true? 

3. Do you ever intend to accept Christ? 

4. Have you read John 3 :3-5 ? 

5. Are you willing to go to your homes with the sin 
of having rejected Christ on your consciences? 

CHRIST'S ENDURING THE CROSS. 
Text— Heb. 12:2. 

1- — What is meant by Christ's enduring the cross? 

1. His physical suffering. 

2. His mental suffering at the time — the sins of the 



— 188 — 

whole world were pressing upon him, and he was for- 
saken by God and man. 

3. He endured the shame of the cross. See the com- 
ments of Dr. Barnes on this verse. 

4. His foreknowledge of the cross no doubt gave him 
great mental suffering (Matt. 16:21; 17:23; 26:31). 

n. — ''For the joy set before him/' 

1. We must always have something before us to move 
us to do our. duty. 

2. We would never be successful in business, if we 
could not look forward to something we are anxious to 
reach. 

3. The hope of another life when this is past will bear 
us up as we cross the Jordan. 

4.. The joy set before Christ influenced him to endure 
the cross. 

Ill,— -We need not feel alone when we come to die, 

1. Jesus tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9). 

2. The writer of Psalm 23 :4 expressed the true sen- 
timent of the dying Christian. 

3. Martin Luther's dying words were, "Into Thy 
hands I commend my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, 
O Lord God of truth!'' John Wesley's were, '^Best of 
all is, God is with us. Farewell." 'Xive in Christ, live 
in Christ, and the flesh need not fear death" (John 
Knox) . 

4. Those who die out of Christ may feel they are 
alone in that trying hour. ''I long to die, that I may 
be in the place of perdition, that I may know the worst 
of it. My damnation is sealed" (William Pope). ^'Oh, 
the insufferable pangs of hell!" (Sir Francis Newport). 
'1 must die abandoned of God and men" (Voltaire). 



— 189 — 
W.-^—Somc practical lessons. 

1. Let us strive to have something before us which 
we are anxious to reach. 

2. Christianity is worth all it costs, if it does nothing 
but give us hope in the hour of death. 

3. If we could see our future trials, we would be very 
unhappy. God has wisely veiled the future and we 
should not try to see it. 

"I would not see my future path, 
For mercy veils it so ; 
My present steps might harder be, 
Did I the future know. 

It may be that my path is rough, 
Thorny, and hard and steep; 
And knowing this my strength might fail, 
Through fear and terror deep. 

It may be that it winds along 
A smooth and flowery way; 
But seeing this I might despise 
The journey of the day. 

Perhaps my path is very short, 
My journey nearly done, 
And I might tremble at the thought 
Of ending it so soon. 

And so I do not wish to see 

My journey or its length, 

Assured that through my father's love 

Each step will bring. me strength." 

SELF- JUSTIFICATION. 
Text — Luke 16:15. 

I. — Consider the Pharisees to zvhom this was spoken, 

1. They believed in the resurrection and in angels and 
spirits. 

2. They were very covetous. 



— 190— • 

. 3. They were self-righteous. 

4. They had a form of godliness, but were full of 
hypocrisy. 

II. — Other statements on the subject. 

1. Both Adam and Eve tried to justify themselves 
(Gen. 3:12, 13). 

2. Some will even try to justify themselves at the 
judgment ( Matt. 7 :22 ; 25 :44) . 

3. The Pharisess would have taken either position to 
justify themselves (Matt. 21:25-27). 

4. The Pharisee justified himself, and the lawyer was 
willing to justify himself (Luke 10:29; 18:10-12). 

III. — Some were willing to acknowledge thier sins, 

1. Both David and Saul said, '1 have sinned'' (1 Sam. 
15:24; 2 Sam. 12:13). 

2. Job and Daniel said the same (Job 7:20; Dan 9- 
5-15). 

3. The prodigal and the publican did not try to justify 
themselves, but acknowledged their sins (Luke 15 :21 ; 
18:13, 14). 

IV. — Those zvho try to justify themselves now. 

1. Some who do not wish to change their evil course 
say all will be saved. 

2. Many claim to be infidels because they wish to 
justify their sinful course. 

3. Only the judgment . will reveal the number of 
church members who will be condemned for seeking to 
justify themselves in a course which they are determined 
to pursue. 

CONCIvUSION. 

Better seek justification in the sight of God who 
knows your hearts. What man esteems, God abomi- 
nates. Be free to confess your sins to one another. You 



— 191 — 

can never do a more manly thing than to say, ''I have 
sinned/' when you know you are guilty. 

FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND CHRIST. 

Text — 1 John 1:3. 

I. — The meaning of the zvord here translated 'Jellozv- 
ship:' 

1. It IS translated "fellowship'' (Gal. 2:9; 1 John 
1:3, 6, 7). 

2. It is translated ''communion" (1 Cor. 10:16). 

3. It is rendered ''contribution'' (Rom. 15:26). 

4. The masculine form is translated "partaker," "part- 
ner" and "companion" ( 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 8:23; Heb. 
10:33). 

5. It is clearly seen that the main idea of fellowship 
is partnership. 

II. — Fellowship with God and Christ, 

1. We are partners with them. 

2. We are their companions — we associate with them. 

3. What do they desire ? 

4. We should love them sufficiently to lay aside our 
desires and make their wall our" will. 

III. — God's partners and companions under the Old 
Covenant, 

1. Noah was God's partner in preaching righteous- 
ness and building the ark. 

2. Enoch was God's companion — he walked with God 
(Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5). 

3. Moses was God's partner in leading the children 
of Israel out of Egypt and giving them the law. 

4. Elijah was God's companion and partner in break- 
in<7 down idolatrv in Israel. 



~ 192 — 

iV. — There is a great desire to be associated zvith great 
men, 

1. Many are very proud of the fact that they were 
intimate with Garfield. To hear them tell it, one would 
think that quite a number of the old men on the West- 
ern Reserve reared Garfield. 

2. Haman thought it was a great honor that he was 
the only one invited with the King to Esther's banquet* 

3. Joseph wished his glory in Egypt known. 

4. To be, partners an^ companions with God and 
Christ is the highest honor ever bestowed upon humxan 
beings. Only a fev/ can get close to noted men, and 
then the honor is but for a short tim.e, but all can be 
partners with God and Christ forever. 

ARISTOCRACY. 

Text — ^John 1:13. 

introduction. 

''Aristocracy'' comes from two Greek words, one 
meaning ''best'' and the other meaning "to rule." Or- 
iginally it meant "a governing body composed of the 
best men in the state." It now means "the nobility or 
chief persons in a state. The social distinction between 
the aristocracy and the common people has become so 
marked that an aristocrat is now "a proud, haughty 
person." In the United States aristocracy is used with 
reference to those who assume that they are better than 
those v/hom they call the common people. 

I. — Aristocracy of blood. 

1. The members of the royal families have always 
considered themselves superior to anyone else because 
of the blood which courses through their veins, but in 
the kingdom of Christ their blood counts for nothing. 



— 193 — 

The son of Queen \^ictoria is no more precious in the 
si2-ht of the Lord than the sen of the most humble 
peasant in Europe, unless he is more like Christ. 

2. The Jews claimed God's special favor because they 
were the descendants of Abraham, but were taught that 
they must be born again (John 3:3-7; Gal. 6:15). 

3. For many years it was considered a great honor 
to be able to trace one's lineage back to one of the first 
five families of Virginia, but in the light of our text 
such ancestry counts for nothing. 

II. — Aristocracy of zuealth. 

1. There is no chance for aristocracy of blood in the 
United States. 

2. Often those who inherit wealth separate themselves 
from those less .fortunate, and become exceedingly 
haughty. 

3. In this great and prosperous country of ours many 
are fortunate enough to accumulate w^ealth in a short 
time, and then disgust sensible people by suddenly be- 
coming aristocratic. 

4. Wealth is a good thing when not abused, but he 
who thinks he is better than others because of his wealth 
is guilty of great folly. The rich and poor stand upon 
the same plane in the Church of Christ (Jas. 1:9, 10). 
A. rich man should be taught that he is just as good as 
a poor man, if he behaves as well. 

III.- — Aristocracy of talent or culture, 

1. Those who have natural ability set aside those who 
are naturally dull. 

2. The highly cultured set aside those who have poor 
opportunities to learn. A polished brickbat often re- 
jects a rough diamond. 

3. Where much is given match is required. Aristoc- 
racy of culture has no place in the Church of Christ. 

13 



— 194 — 

IV. — Aristocracy of character. 

1. Character is the sum of quahties which distinguish 
one person from another. 

2. In this sense, Christ was aristocratic (Heb. 7*26). 

3. The Corinthians were to separate themselves from 
the wicked (1 Cor. 5:17, 18). 

4. Character is within the reach of all, and he who 
has a vile character should be excluded from society. 

CONCIyUSlON. 

Aristocracy of blood, aristocracy of wealth and aris- 
tocracy of talent or culture are all wrong, but aristocracy 
of character is right. 

God admits none but the pure into his presence (Matt. 
5:8). 

Only those who do his commandments can enter the 
holy city (Rev. 22:14). 

Come out from among the wicked people and do not 
mingle with them, except for the purpose of doing them 
good. 

Christ ate and drank with publicans and sinners that 
he^might make them better. 

THE CHURCH AND SECRET SOCIETIES. 
Text— Matt. 6:33. • 

I. — The Church. 

1. It sometimes means a single congregation and some- 
times all of the followers of Christ. 

2. We use the term in the Scriptural sense, not in the 
sectarian sense. 

3. Built by Christ and his apostles. 

4. The purpose of the Church is to save people from 
sin and to train them for heaven. 

5. It is composed of those who have really come out 



— 195 — 

from the world and are showing the fruit of the Holy 
Spirit in their lives. 

II. — A few of the leading societies, 

1. The Free Masons are a very influential body and 
do much charitable work. The social features of Ma- 
sonry are also very fine. No one is required to violate 
any principle of the Christian religion when he becomes 
a member of this order. 

2. The Odd Fellows are doing a great deal of good 
in helping their sick and unfortunate members. They 
pay out over $4,000,000 for charity each year. There 
is nothing in the requirements of this lodge which is 
inconsistent with the teaching of Christ. 

3. The Ancient Order of United Workmen is perhaps 
as good a fraternal insurance organization as can well 
be found, and a great many Christian people are mem- 
bers of it who are always true to the Church. 

4. The Good Templars have done untold good in mold- 
ing temperance sentiment. 

III. — The tzt'o extremes on this question. 

1. There are a few who will allow the lodge to come 
between them and the Church. 

2. Now and then one rnay be foolish enough to say 
that if all would live up to the teaching of Masonry or 
Odd Fellowship, they would not need the Church. 

3. There are those who bitterly oppose all secret so- 
cieties. 

4. The United Brethren placed an article in their 
creed which prohibited their joining secret societies. 
This had a tendency to keep them weak for many years, 
and finally divided them into tvv^o bodies. 

IV. — The wise course to pursue, 

1. Avoid extremes. 

2. Teach the difference between the Church and 



— 196 — 

lodges. The Church is a divine institution and lodges 
are human institutions. There is nothing about remis- 
sion of sins, or the terms on which a man can go to 
heaven in any lodge we have ever been in, and we have 
been in a half dozen. Lodges do not claim to take the 
place of the Church, and those who claim they do, mis- 
represent them. 

3. Leave the people free to join lodges or to keep out 
of them, but teach them that they must come into the 
Church, or they will have no promise of salvation. 

4. Those who belong to both the Church and secret 
societies should be taught very emphatically that they 
should give the Church the preference. A lodge is sim- 
ply a business matter, and no man should allow his 
business to come between him and the Church. ''Seek 
ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and 
all these things will be added unto you." 

KEEP THE ORDINANCES AS I DELIVERED 
THEM UNTO YOU. 

Tkxt— 1 Cor. 11:2. 

I. — What is the meaning of the term ''ordinance?'' 

1. An ordaining or establishing by authority. A rule 
established by authority. 

2. A statute, law, decree. 

3. The Greek word rendered '^ordinance" in the text 
is rendered ''tradition" in Matt. 15:1, 3, 6: 2 Thess. 
2:15; 3:6. 

4. Protestants have applied the terms "sacrament'' 
and ''ordinance" to the Lord's supper and baptism, but 
Greek and Roman Catholic Churches have five other 
sacraments, viz., confirmation, ordination, penance, ex- 
treme unction and matrimony. Anything which God 
has ordained is an ordinance and the New Testament 



— 197 — 

must decide the question and not the wisdom of man. 
Whatever God has required the Church to observe is a 
church ordinance and whatever he commanded indi- 
viduals to do is an individual ordinance. There is no 
divine authority for limiting the ordinances to baptism 
and the Lord's supper. 

II. — The follozvmg Scriptures will show the use of the 
term : 

1. Lev. 8:4; Num. 9:14. 

2. Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14. 

3. Heb. 9:1, 10; Luke 1:6. 

4. Rom. 13:2; 1 Pet. 2:13. 

III. — Is it right to change any of the ordinances f 
1. If we change one, why not change all? 
.2. See Jude 3, and Gal. 1:6-12. 
3. The text and context clearly teach that none of 

God's- ordinances should be changed by man. 

IV. — Have any of the ordinances been changed? 

1. The Lord's supper is not observed in many Church- 
es as it was in the Apostolic Church. 

2. In 1311 sprinkling was substituted for immersion. 

3. Infant immersion was introduced in the third cen- 
tury. 

CONCLUSION. 

It is our duty to restore the ordinances to their former 
place. Many such men as Dean Stanley admit that 
these changes took place. The testimony of all church 
historians is very clear. 

SECTARIANISM. 

Text — Acts 26:5. 

L — Notice the word which is here rendered ''sect!^ 

1. It means a sect, a faction; by implication discord, 
contention. 



— 198 — 

2. Sect of the Sadducees (Acts 15:17). 

3. Sect of the Pharisees (Acts 15 :5). 

4. Sect of the Nazarenes (Acts 24:5). 

5. Straightest sect of our rehgion (Acts 26:5). 

6. Christians are called a sect (Acts 28:22). 

11. — The same word is translated ''heresy'" in the com 
mon version. 

1. After the way which they call heresy (Acts 24:14). 

2. Heresies among the Corinthians (1 Cor. 11:19). 

3. Heresies are among the works of the flesh 
(Gal. 5:20). 

4. Damnable heresies (2 Pet. 2:1). 

in. — How can we tell when a church is a sect? 

1. The church which is not on infallibly right or safe 
ground is a sect. 

2. Any church which makes the opinions, traditions oi 
speculations of men tests of fellowship, is a sect. 

3. The church which substitutes some human idea for 
that which is divine, is a sect. 

4. A church may be called a sect when it is not. (Acts 
24:14; 28:22). 

IV. — Are the people known as Disciples of Christ, or 
Christians, a sect? 

1. If they make human opinion or tradition a test of 
fellowship, they are a sect. Some members in any con- 
gregation are liable to become sectarian over some fool- 
ish notion. 

2. The creed of the Disciples is Christ and their book 
of authority is the Bible, both of which are not sectarian, 
as all Christians will admit. 

3. The Disciples keep the ordinances in such a way 
that no church will question, and therefore are not sec- 
tarian in that particular. 

4. The plea of the Disciples is not sectarian. If anyone 
will show them that they are making something a test of 



— 199 — 

fellowship which was not made a test of fellowship in the 
ancient church, they will drop it ; and if they are shown 
that they have omitted something which was made a test 
of fellowship in the Apostolic Church, they will adopt it. 

V. — HoziJ should heretics, or sect-makers, be treated? 

1. Those who are not in our ranks should be taught the 
way of the Lord more perfectly. 

2. Those who spring up within our ranks should be 
admonished the first and second time, and then if they 
are unwilling to be corrected, they should be rejected 
(Tit. 3:10). 

3. It is one of the crowning glories of the Disciples that 
they have no ecclesiastical courts higher than the congre- 
gation in which to try heretics. Prof. Swing, Dr. Thomas, 
and Dr. Briggs ow^e their reputations to the ecclesiastical 
courts in which they were tried for heresy. When a man 
among the Disciples rejects Christ and the Bible, he is 
quietly set aside by the individual congregation and is 
scarcely ever heard of afterward. 

CONSCIENCE. 
T^xT— Acts 24:16. 

I. — What is conscience? 

1. "The moral sense, the internal monitor, which sig- 
nifies approval when we do well and inflicts more or less 
acute and lasting pain when we act sinfully" (Universal 
Dictionary). 

2. According to psychology, conscience is the moral 
sense which approves of what the intellect says is right 
and disapproves of what the intellect says is wrong. 

3. The Greek word which is translated ''conscience" 
in the text means ''an inward moral impression of one's 
actions and principles.'' 



— 200 — 

II. — Should we follow coriscience? 

1. It is now pretty generally admitted that conscience 
should be followed. 

2. We must either do what we believe to be right, or 
what we believe to be wrong. 

3. If we do what we believe to be wrong, we will soon 
sear our conscience with a hot iron (1 Tim. 4:1). 

4. The text clearly teaches that the conscience should 
be followed. 

III. — // we follow conscience shall we do right? 

1. Subjectively we will — that is, w,e shall do right ac- 
cording to our standard. 

2. Objectively we shall do right, if our ideas are right, 
but if our ideas are wrong, we shall do wrong. 

3. Paul persecuted the Church in all good conscience, 
but he was going contrary to God's will. Objectively he 
was wrong, but subjectively he was right, and God had 
mercy and sent him the light (1 Tim. 1 :13). 

IV. — // we are conscientious shall we he saved? 

1. If we try with all our powers to get the truth, and 
then try earnestly to live up to what light we have, shall 
we be saved? 

2. The one who is strictly conscientious will both seek 
the light and try to follow it. 

3. If we take the position that God will condemn us 
for not living up to the light which we do not have and 
can not get, we must logically take the position that per- 
fect knowledge is essential to salvation, and this none of 
us shall ever have in this world. 

4. The following quotation from MunselFs ^Tsychol- 
ogy" clearly sets forth our ideas : 

"Is a man morally responsible for a wrong action 
wrought in obedience to the behests of conscience? It 
is obvious that in the discussion of this question we must 
pass from the sphere of psychology to that cf ethics ; yet 



— 201 — 

the question is so intimately related to our legitimate line 
of thought tliat it seems to be necessary to recognize it 
here. The principles involved. are fev/ and simple, and 
easily comprehended. Every legitimate act of conscience 
postulates at least three related conditions, viz. : 

''1. Unbiased inclinations. — Or, in other words, a sin- 
cere desire both to know and to do the right. He who 
approaches the examination of a case of conscience with 
a biased mind, i. e., with strong prepossessions for or 
against a certain course of action, is but little likely to 
arrive at correct conclusions concerning it. If w£ throw 
the sword of Brennus into the scale, we shall not mete 
out exact justive in the court of conscience. 

"2. Conscientious use of all the light possible. — He 
who shuts his eyes to the light has no right to plead the 
darkness in bar of judgment against his errors and mis- 
takes. The question is not how much light the man act- 
ually used in any given instance, but how much was fair- 
ly within his reach, if he had conscientiously sought after 
it. No man can honestly decide on worse evidence than 
is possible to him in the given case. 

''3. Logical precision of judgment. — Candor and intel- 
ligence alone can not insure correct results, if logical 
precision in the evolution of our complex processes of 
reasoning be wanting. Ordinarily man is justly held 
accountable for his logic, or v/ant of logic, and may not 
plead his own careless use of his reasoning powers as an 
apology for his errors of conscience ; but where an indi- 
vidual, fully recognizing his own m_oral responsibility, 
approaches a case of conscience in the spirit of the three 
conditions noted above, and yet errs at last in his de- 
cision, and in obedience to his conscience performs a 
wrong act, he miust stand acquitted of all wrong or sin 
alike at the bar of conscience and of Jehovah." 



— 202 — 

PROSELYTING. 

Te:xt — Acts 6 :5. 

I. — Directly and indirectly, there is much said in the 
Scriptures on proselyting. 

1. The word ''proselyte'' in the New Testament means 
a convert from paganism to Judaism. As the word is 
now used it means a convert from one beHef to another. 

2. The word is found in Matt. 23 :15 ; Acts 2 :10 ; 13 AS. 

3. Those w'ho knew only the baptism of John were 
taught- the way of the Lord more perfectly (Acts 18:24- 
26; 19:1-6). 

4. The apostles proselyted from both Jews and heathen 
(Acts 2:37-41; 16:14-33). 

n. — Protestants have been proselyting from the Catholics 
for about four hundred years, 

1. Luther and those associated with him proselyted a 
large portion of Germany from the Roman Church. 

2. Calvin spent the best part of his life in rescumg 
Geneva and the surrounding country from the dominion 
of the Pope. 

3. Henry VIIL proselyted by the wholesale. He de- 
livered England from papal rule. 

4. Protestants have always considered it their duty to 
proselyte from the Catholic Church. The leading Prot- 
estant bodies are now sending missionaries into Mexico, 
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands. 

HI. — Protestants have proselyted front Protestants. 

1. The work of John Wesley caused many to leave the 
Church of England. 

2. The Baptists have proselyted thousands from the 
Pedobaptists. 

3. The Congregationalists have sometimes proselyted 
from the Church of England and the Presbyterians. 



— 203 — 

4. The Disciples have proselyted from all the prominent 
Churches in the United States. 

IV. — Opposition to proselyting, 

1. No doubt the heathen opposed the Jews who came 
among them for the purpose of making proselytes. The 
Jews were ready to put Christ and his apostles to death 
for preaching that the only way of salvation is through 
Christ. Many heathen now object to the work of the 
Christian missionaries. 

2. The Roman Catholics have always bitterly opposed, 
and often persecuted, Protestants for calling in question 
the authority of the Pope. The priests teach the mem- 
bers of their churches to keep away from Protestant 
Churches. 

3. For a number of years past we have heard ministers 
in the leading Protestant Churches say that it is wrong 
to try to unsettle people in their religious convictions, 
and that they would not try to influence those in other 
Churches to unite with theirs. They say that sectarian- 
ism is right, and that one Church should never interfere 
with another. Our good Baptist brethren will often say 
this, and at the same time they will not commune with 
those outside of their ranks. If they believe that no one 
is fit for communion except Baptists, they should certainly 
try to bring everybody into the Baptist Church, so they 
wUi be w^orthy to come to the Lord's table. 

4. The people known as Christians, or Disciples of 
Christ, are pleading with all Protestant Christians to 
lay aside their differences and unite upon their agree- 
ments. The Disciples occupy ground which is not in 
question, and have therefore drawn heavily from other 
religious bodies. They are in existence for the double 
purpose of uniting God's people on the one foundation 
and converting the world. As they believe that sectarian- 
ism is wrong, and that they have the true basis of union, 



— 204 — 

they can not consistently do otherwise than oppose 
sects and try to unite all on the fundamental facts of the 
Gospel which are not in controversy. When they are 
asked to cease proselyting, they are asked to surrender 
their plea for restoring primitive Chirstianity. 

Preachers in the denominations have said to us, ''You 
have a rght to preach your convictions from your pulpit, 
but have no right to go among our members privately to 
teach your doctrine/' Our reply has been that Paul 

taught publicly and from house to house (Acts 20:20). 
If it be wrong to try to unsettle people in their religious 
belief and teach them something better, all the reformers, 
the apostles, and even Christ himself committed a great 
deal of sin. If the idea that we should never try to 
change the belief of anyone should be universally ac- 
cepted, all progress would be stopped. The scientific 
men would not be allowed to attack the old theories, and 
political parties would not dare spring new issues. But 
who decided that no one should be disturbed in his re- 
ligious views? The clergy, of course. The big Pope 
first decided it and the little popes have reaffirmed his de- 
cision. Those high up in the Roman Church have decided 
that Protestants should keep out of the islands which 
have recently come, under American control. Those 
Churches which oppose proselyting can not consistently 
send any missionaries into those islands. There may be 
preachers in the denominations who' never try to prose- 
lyte, but all of those whom we have watched carefully 
have been just as ready to proselyte as any of the preach- 
ers in the Church of Christ, but they have generally done 
their work on the sly. As long as we live under the 
stars and stripes, we will be allowed to teach the whole 
truth, both publicly and privately, to all w^ho are willing 
to hear it, and we shall be held responsible before God, if 
we neglect to do so. But in all of our teaching, Vv'e must 
not misrepresent the teaching of others. We should not go 



into houses to teach our doctrine where we are not want- 
ed, but follow the example of Paul by preaching to those 
who are willing to hear iis, ever bearing in mind *'Be ye 
therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (Matt. 
10:16). 

PARABLE OF THE TARES. 
Text— Matt. 13:24-30. 

I. — Carefully look at the Held. 

1. It is the world — the people of the world. 

2. Jesus sows good seed in the minds of the people. 

3. Satan sows tares — evil things. 

4. The good seed develops into the children of the king- 
dom, but the tares produce the children of Satan. 

11. — We learn from this that Satan is always ready to 
oppose the good, 

1. While Moses was on Sinai receiving the law, Aaron, 
influenced by Satan, was making a golden calf. 

2. When Elijah was trying to put down the worship 
of Baal, Jezebel was planning to take his life. 

3. Immediately after Christ was baptized, Satan tried 
three times to influence him to commit sin. 

4. Paul said, ''The mystery of iniquity doth already 
work" (2 Thess. 2:7) , showing how soon the great apos- 
tasy followed the introduction of Christianity. 

5. All the efforts of the Church to save the young are 
followed by many schemes of the devil to turn them into 
evil paths. 

III. — Name a mimber of tares which have grown up from 
bad seed. 

1. Unbelievers. 

2. Hypocrites. 

3. Selfish people. 

4. Indifferent people. 



— 206 — 

IV. — We are all mowing now, 

1. A wonderful effort is now being made to sow the 
good seed of the kingdom. 

2. There are powerful influences at work to produce 
tares. 

3. The harvest, which is the end of the world, will re- 
veal what we are sowing. 

CONCI.USION. 

The tares were sown while men slept. The devil and 
his agents are sowing now while we are asleep. What 
are you sowing? 

. SEEKING THINGS ABOVE. 

Text— Coi.. 3:1-3. 

I. — The apostle here refers hack to the time when they 
became Christians, 

1. They had been translated into Christ's kingdom 
(Col. 1:13). 

2. They had been lifted up into a spiritual atmosphere 
(Eph. 2:6). 

3. Their past sins had been pardoned. 

4. Their having been raised with Christ no doubt has 
reference to verse 12 of the preceding chapter. 

II. — The things above. 

1. God is above. 

2. Christ is above. He is on the right hand of the 
Father. 

3. The holy angels are above. 

4. A multitude of saints are above, and many of our 
own loved ones are among them. 

5. Eternal life is above. 

III. — ''Set your affection on things above.'' 

1. What is affection? 

2. Had the Colossians power to do this ? 



-^207 — 

3. Have we power to do this? 

4. It is much easier to set our affection on things on 
the earth. 

IV. — Lessons from the third verse. 

1. They were dead to the law of Moses, dead to sin 
and dead to the world. 

2. They were alive unto God (Rom. 6:11). 

3. What is meant by ''your life is hid with Christ in 
God'' ? ( 1 ) It may refer to the old sinful life which was 
laid aside when they came into Christ; (2) John Wesley 
says it means the real spiritual life, which is hid from the 
world and is laid up in God with Christ. We are inclined 
to believe that Wesley was right. 

DRAW NIGH TO GOD. 

Te:xt— Jas. 4:8. 

I. — Notice the character of the Being near whom we 
are to draw, 

1. He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. 

2. He created all things and has a right to rule. 

3. He is just (Ps. 89:14). 

4. He IS full of love and mercy. 

5. He is always ready to draw nigh to us. 
II. — Our drazving nigh to him. 

1. We have the ability to draw nigh ^ to him, or we 
would not be commanded to do so. 

2. We must respect his authority in order to draw near 
to him. 

3. We should be in his kingdom. 

4. The results of drawing near to him : ( 1 ) He will 
draw near to us; (2) we will have a clear conscience; 
(3) we Vv'ill have joy and peace (Rom. 14:17). 

III. — Means by which we draw near to God. 

1, The Jews drew near by means of the tabernacle and 
temple service. 



— 208 — 

2. By the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13). 

3. Through Christ, our great High Priest (Heb. 
5:1, 2). ■ _ 

4. By confessing our sins (1 John 1:9). 

5. By prayer and praise: (1) in the pubHc assembly; 
(2) when alone with God (Matt. 6:6). 

IV. — Examples of those who drew near to God, 
h Enoch (Gen. 5:24). 

2. Moses (Ex. 32:32). 

3. Peter and John (Acts 10 :9 ; Rev. 1 :9, 10) . 

■ 4. Simeon and Stephen (Luke 2 :27-32 ; Acts 7 :55-60X. 

CONCIvUSION. 

Jesus came to show us the Father and to draw us unto 
him. No man can come unto the Father but by him 
(John 14:6). Let us draw near with a true heart (Heb. 
10:22). Let us sing with the spirit and the understand- 
ing such hymns as ''Nearer, My God, to Thee'' and 
'7esus, Keep Me Neaj the Cross." 

THE POVERTY OF CHRIST. 
Te:xt— 2CoR. 8:9. 

I. — How rich was Christ? 

1. He took part in the creation (John 1 :3 ; Col. 1 :16). 

2. He was God's only Son (John 3:16). 

3. He was in glory with the Father (John 17:5). 
II,— How poor did he become? 

1. He had no place to lay his head (Matt. 8:20). 

2. He had no friends (Matt. 26 :56) . 

3. God forsook him for a little while (Matt. 27:46). 
III. — Hozv poor were we? . 

1. Poor spiritually (Rev. 3:17). 

2. Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Rom. 3 :9. 

3. The Gentiles were very poor (Eph. 2:1-3, 11? 19). 
IV. — Our riches. 



--209 — 

1. Christ gave us a chance to be rich. 

2. A wise father does not heap riches on his son, but 
gives him a chance to make money for himself. 

3. How does his poverty make us rich? 

4. We may be rich here (Rev. 2 :9) . 

5. We have the promise of being as rich as Christ 
(Rom. 8:17).' 

V. — This is by grace. 

1. God was under no obHgations to sentl Christ that 
we might be rich. 

2. There is no law requiring a father to start his son 
in business, but he generally^does it because he loves him. 

3. God favored us because he loved us. 

4. The Corinthians evidently knew of this grace from 
w^hat Paul had told them when he was with them, and 
from his former letter. 

CONCLUSION. 

May our riches increase (Rom. 8:32). It is strange 
that people are so slow to become children of the great 
King. 

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. 

Text— Rom. 6:23. 

I. — The word ''wages/^ 

1. It means provisions. 

2. It means pay of soldiers (Luke 3:14). 
'3. Pay of any kind (2 Cor. 11:8). 

4. A stated recompense, (Rom. 6:23). • 

II. — Sin. 

1. It means depravity (Rom. 7:17). 

2. Neglect of duty (Jas. 4:17). 

3. Transgression of law (1 John 3:4). 
14 



— 210 — 

III. — Death means separation, 

1. Death of the body (Gen. 3:24; Heb. 9:27). 

2. Death of the soul (Gen. 3:3; Eph. 2:1). 

3. Second death (Rev. 20:14). 

4. Show that the wages of sin is always death. 

5. Is it wise that we must die? (1) God knew that it 
would not be best for man to live alvv^ays in this sinful 
state; (2) it is sad to give up our loved ones, but we 
should becoi^e reconciled; (3) it is difficult to control 
men with death staring them in the face, and if death 
should be removed, there is no telling what they would 
do. . • 

IV. — The gift of God. 

1. We earn our wages. 

2. A gift is the result of favor. 

3. After we serve God all our days eternal life is giv- 
en to us. 

4. No man can boast that he saves himself. 

CONCIvUSION. 

This should be taught in the Bible school. When peo- 
ple are lost it -is the result of their own doing. God's 
ways are higher than our ways, and we must not measure 
his dealings v/ith his wayward children too much by our 
ways. We should take God's word. ''The wages of 
sin is death." 

THE RELATION OF CHRISTIANITY TO CIVIL 
GOVERNMENT. 

''My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). 

The study of the relation of religion to civil govern- 
ment in all ages and in all countries is both interesting 
and profitable. The teaching of Christ and his apos- 
tles and the history of dififerent nations must be studied 
in order that we learn the true relation of Christianity to 



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the civil powers which are now in existence. God rais- 
ed up the Jewish nation to accompUsh certain purposes, 
and the law of Moses was the only law which the Israel- 
ites were required to obey, until, on account of their idol- 
atry, they were taken into Babylonian captivity. For 
over five hundred years they looked forward to the com- 
ing of the Messiah, believing that he would restore the 
political power to them, but when he came they were dis- 
appointed, and as a people rejected him. The political 
power was never restored to them. At times during 
the existence of the four universal monarchies they were 
protected in their religion, and at other times they were 
persecuted. At the time Christ came there was no alli- 
ance between the Jewish religion and the civil powers. 
He was born, reared and put to death under Roman rule. 
It took much plain teaching to convince even his disci- 
ples that his kingdom was spiritual and not political. 
When he spoke the words, ''My kingdom is not of this 
world," no one fully understood them. After he was 
raised from the dead^ his disciples asked him to restore 
the political power to Israel (Acts 1 :6) . When the Holy 
Spirit descended upon them they understood that his 
kingdom was spiritual and not political. Then they no 
doubt understood the meaning of our text. They learned 
that Jesus was to reign in heaven as King of Kings and 
Lord of Lords, and that his law was to be written in the 
minds and hearts of his subjects. When the true nature 
o£ his kingdom was thus understood, his disciples could 
see that his Church would be separate from all political 
powers. 

Christianity flourished under the Roman government 
from the time the Church was established until the con- 
version of Constantine. The mere mention of the name 
''Nero" reminds the reader of history of the cruel perse- 
cutions which the Christians were called upon to suffer. 



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At times they were allowed to propagate their religion 
in peace. Notwithstanding the corruption of the gov- 
ernment, there were laws which Christians could well 
aflford to obey. When Paul wrote to the Church in the 
capital of the Roman Empire, he taught obedience to the 
civil laws. 'Xet every soul be subject unto the higher 
powers, for there is no power but of God ; the powers 
that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, re- 
sisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God, and 
they that resist shall receive unto themselves damnation ; 
for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. 
Wilt thou, then, not be afraid of the power? Do that 
which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same ; for 
he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou 
do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the 
sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger 
to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore 
ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also 
for conscience sake; for, for this cause ye pay tribute 
also ; for they are God's ministers, 'attending continually 
upon this very thing" (Rom. 13:1-6). 

Peter had the same view of civil government that Paul 
had, and when writing to Christians generally, he 
taught loyalty. ''Submit yourselves to every ordinance 
of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be the king, as 
supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent 
by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise 
of them that do well" (1 Pet. 2:13, 14). The ancient 
Christians were not only to be obedient to the civil 
powers, but were to pray for those who ruled over them. 
''I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, 
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for 
all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that 
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness 
and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the 



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sight of God our Savior" (1 Tim. 2:1-3). By being 
obedient to the civil lavvs, praying for the rulers, and 
leading quiet and peaceable lives, the early disciples did 
much to advance the cause of the true religion. About 
A. D. 323, Constantine, the Roman Emperor, was con- 
verted to Christianity and made it the religion of the em- 
pire. This was considered a great triumph for the re- 
ligion of the humble Nazarene, but those who can not 
see that it w^as a great cahamity must be worse than blind. 
It was more iniurious to the Church than it was to the 
empire. The great apostasy which had already taken 
root had a marvelous growth from that time on until the 
fifteenth century. A large part of the corruption which 
came into the Church never would have been possible 
but for its alliance w^ith the civil pov/ers. The Church 
of England is to-day largely shorn of its spiritual power 
on account of its relation to the political government, and 
we predict that before many generations shall come and 
go the people of England will demand a separation of 
Church and state. Certainly the founders of our gov- 
ernment were guided by a wdsdom closely akin to inspir- 
ation. They gave us a government of the people, by 
the people and for the people ; and with the express un- 
derstanding that there should be no union of Church and 
state. They had seen the evil results of such union in 
England and elsewhere. The name of God does not 
appear in the Constitution of the United States. It is 
plainly stated that "no religious test thall ever be required 
as a qualification to any ofiice or public trust under the 
United States." 

The very first amendment to the Constitution says: 
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establish- 
ment of religion or the free exercise thereof." This is 
right. All religions are protected by our laws as long 
as they do not teach anything subversive of good govern- 



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ment. Under the stars and stripes a Mohammedan can 
worship unmolested, a Chinaman is allowed to burn his 
prayers instead of saying them, and the dying Brahmin 
could hold the tail of his sacred cow. 

As Christians we have the privilege of teaching the 
pure gospel of Christ to as many citizens as are willing 
to hear it, and in this way we can purify the nation. If 
men are filled with the spirit of the Son of God, we can 
safely trust them to make and execute our laws. They 
will never do anything which will in any way undermine 
the true principles of civil government or in any way 
oppress the people. 

The relation of Christianity to our government is the 
same as the relation of Christianity to the Roman govern- 
ment up to the time of Constantine, except our govern- 
ment is much better than was the Roman. Christians 
were often persecuted under the power of Rome, but have 
never been persecuted in the United States. 

A very important question presses itself upon us as we 
read the history of the Church in different nations and 
look at the relation of Christianity to our government, 
viz. : Should Christians ever disobey the laws of the gov- 
ernment under which they live? First, we say that 
very seldom are Christians so situated that they are jus- 
tified in disobeying civil authority. If the civil law 
should requre us to do something which is immoral, we 
say, without any hesitation, that we should disobey it. 
If the civil law should require us to disobey God, we 
should say at once we vv^ili disregard the civil authority 
and obey the higeer power. Fortunately we have some 
divine instruction upon this question. In the third chap- 
ter of Daniel we are told that Nebuchadnezzer made a 
golden image and commanded all his subjects to fall 
down and worship it when they heard the sound of mus- 
ical instruments ; and those who refused to fall down and 



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worship it were to be cast into the midst of a burning 
fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, He- 
brew captives, who had been set over the affairs ^f the 
province of Babylon, refused to fall down and worship 
the golden image, because they knew that God's law 
would not allow them to do so. Certain Chaldeans in- 
formed the king that the three Hebrews had refused to 
obey his command. The king called them to account 
for their disobedience. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed- 
nego informed him that they would not fall down and 
worship the image. Nebuchadnezzer was angry and 
comm-anded them to be cast into the burning fiery fur- 
nace. But he saw four men, loose, walking in the midst 
of the fire unharmed, and he called them forth, and made 
a decree that nothing should be spoken against the God 
who could deliver them in this way. These men dis- 
obeyed the law of the king because it was contrary to 
God's law, and God protected them. God endorsed 
their action. 

Again in Daniel, sixth chapter, we learn of a conspir- 
acy to put Daniel to death. The presidents and princes, 
who were jealous of Daniel, after failing to find any oc- 
casion for accusing him, persuaded Darius to make a de- 
cree that no one should ask a petition of any God or man 
for thirty days, save of the king, and anyone who vio- 
lated this decree was to be cast into the den of lions. 
This decree was according to the laws of the Medes and 
Persians, which changeth not. "Now when Daniel knew 
that the writing was signed he went into his house; and 
his windows being open toward Jerusalem he kneeled up- 
on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave 
thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." When 
the conspirators found him making supplication before 
his God, they informed the king. When the king heard 
the report, he was sore displeased with himself, and la- 



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bored till the going down of the sun to deliver Daniel; 
But the law had gone forth and could not be changed, 
so Daniel was cast into the den of lions. But God sent 
his angel to shut the lions' mouths, so they could not 
hurt him. Daniel disobeyed the civil law rather than 
to disobey God, and God approved of his course. 

God will always be with his children when they do his 
will, but will not always protect them in the same way. 
No doubt he was with those Christians who disregarded 
the laws of Rome rather than forsake Christ, but he did 
not perform a miracle to save their lives. Polycarp, 
bishop of Smyrna, who had sat at the feet of the apostle 
John, was put to death in A. D. 155. The aged saint 
had taken refuge in a house near the city, and the sol^ 
diers came and arrested him. He declined to avail him* 
self of another opportunity to escape. When he was re- 
quested to curse Christ he answered: ''Six and eighty 
years have I served him, and he has done me nothing but 
good; and how could I curse him, my Lord and Savior'/' 
Refusing to renounce the faith, he was burned to death. 
If our government should require us to curse Christ, we 
would be perfectly justified in refusing to carry out the 
requirement ; but our government will never make such 
requirements, and we need have no fears. We shall be 
protected in our religious as well as our civil liberty. Tf 
Paul could say to the church at Rome 'Xet every soul be 
subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but 
of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves 
damnation," he would certainly say to Christians in the 
United States that they should be loyal citizens. If the 
ancient Christians could pray for such brutal and tyran- 
ical rulers as Nero and Domitian, Christians in the United 
States of America ought to be willing to pray for 
those who are elected to rule over them. If those who 
claim to be Christian^ understand what Peter and Paul 



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said was the duty of the Christians of the first century 
toward the Roman government, violate the laws of this 
great republic, or encourage others in so doing, they are 
not worthy to be called Christians. Christians in this 
country have many reasons for thanksgiving. They 
should continually thank God that our forefathers gave 
us such a government, and that it stands and guarantees 
to us life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When 
we survey the whole world and weigh with precision the 
advantages and disadvantages of all political powers, we 
are forced to the conclusion that the United States of 
America is the brightest star in the great constellation of 
nations. We should be thankful that we live in such 
a country and in the present age. We have advantages 
socially, politically, intellectually and religiously never 
dreamed of by past generations. 

We are living, we are dwelling 

In a grand and awful time, 
In an age on ages telling; 

To be living is sublime. 

We can not too strongly emphasize the fact that the 
future welfare of this governmnet largely depends upon 
those who acknowledge allegiance to the Prince of Peace. 
There are many who concede the value of Christianity 
who are not members of the Church. It is a matter of 
regret that they do not obey the entire gospel and carry 
out the divine will by uniting with the Church (Acts 
2:47), yet it is of great benefit to the government that 
so many people of the world are partially controlled by 
the principles of the gospel. It was nothing more or 
less than the gospel of Christ which influenced the gov- 
ernor and legislature of Texas, a few years since, to say 
that no prize-fight should ever take place in that great 
state. 

While we rejoice to-day that we live under the best 



— 218— ■ 

government which the world has ever produced, and that 
a large per cent, of our citizens are believers in the Chris- 
tion religion, we must not forget that there are evils at 
work which are calculated to sap the very foundations 
of civil government, and we must depend upon the in- 
fluence of the Christian religion to put them down. 

The liquor traffic is still one of the worst enemies our 
country has ever known. In a large majority of the 
states' of this Union, men are standing behind the counter 
and dealing out the poisonous, intoxicating beverages to 
the people, and have their business sanctioned, and to a 
certain degree, made respectable by law. Christians 
should stand in unbroken ranks against this gigantic 
evil. We are in favor of all honorable efforts to curtail 
its power, but feel quite certain that what is most needed 
is more sentiment against it and all kindred evils. If 
God's people could be more closely united, and all of their 
energy utilized in the evangelization of the world, we 
should soon see the whiskey power on the decline. If 
the professed followers of Christ would live and work in 
such a way as to produce ten times as much sentiment 
against all forms of evil as now exists, the saloon would 
vanish like the frost vanishes before the morning sun. 

Infidelity carried out to its logical results would over- 
throw the nation. The darkest days France has ever 
seen were those in which Christianity, both of faith and 
practice, was almost entirely banished from her borders. 
We endorse the statement made by Hon. George R. 
Wendling in his famous reply to Col. Ingersoll, viz., ^^In- 
gersoll himself is a patriot, but Ingersollism is high 
treason." We are profoundly grateful that Christian- 
ity has sufficient influence upon the American people to 
prevent the election of an infidel to the presidency of the 
United States. Let us increase this sentiment. 

In the light of the scriptures quoted from Paul and 



— 219 — 

Peter we can clearly see that it is the duty of all Chris- 
tians to oppose anything which has in it the semblance of 
anarchy. Those who come from other countries to this 
ought to be taught that they are allowed to come and en- 
joy this great and prosperous country with us, but are 
not allowed to trample the laws beneath their feet. If 
they do not like our laws they have the privilege of re- 
turning to their own native land. No one should be al- 
lowed to remain on American soil who is continually cry- 
ing down American institutions. Some come from for- 
eign countries to the United States because they want lib- 
erty, and after they are here a short time conclude that 
liberty means license to do as they please, regardless of 
the rights of others. All such sentiments should be 
nipped in the bud. 

In order to be such citizens as the Master requires we 
must oppose anything which threatens the destruction of 
X)ur public-school system. Any power that opposes gen- 
eral education is anti-American and anti-Christian. 

It is the duty of the Church to teach our citizens that 
nations receive their rewards and penalties in this world. 
As individuals, God will judge us by his Son when our 
career in this world shall have passed, but as nations, the 
judgment takes place in this world. History teaches 
most clearly that when a nation becomes very corrupt, 
God in his providence raises up powers to overthrow that 
nation, though those powers may not be altogether right- 
eous. God often makes the wrath of man to praise 
him and bring about good results. "'At what instant i! 
shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a king 
dom, to pluck up and to break down and to ^destroy it ; if 
that nation concerning which I have spoken turn from 
their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do 
unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concern- 
ing a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to 



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plant it, if it do evil in my sight, tHat it obey not my 
voice, then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I 
would benefit them" (Jer. 18:7-10). 

When the Lord enlarged the vision of Daniel so that 
he could see the Babylonian monarchy overthrown by 
Cyrus and the Medo-Persian kingdom established in its 
stead; the Medo- Persian kingdom, after standing over 
two hundred years, overthrown by Alexander the Great 
and the Greek empire established in its stead ; the Greel^ 
empire, after standing nearly three hundred years, over- 
thrown by Julius Caesar, and the Roman empire estab- 
lished in its stead; the kingdom of Christ established 
about A. D. 34, break in pieces and consume the four 
preceding monarchies, and become a great mountain and 
fill the whole earth, Daniel said, ''Blessed be the name of 
God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His ; 
and He changeth the times and the seasons ; he removeth 
kings and setteth up kings." . " 

It is the influence of Christianity that keeps our nation 
from falling. ''Blessed is that nation whose God is the 
Lord, and the people whom He hath chosen for His own 
inheritance" (Ps. 33:12). 

Notwithstanding the greatness of our government and 
the many blessings which are to flow to all the world 
through it, it is but a temporal institution. When the 
Kingdom of Christ shall fill the whole earth, all human 
governments will have served their purpose and will cease 
to exist* Daniel is not the only one who prophesied that 
Christianity would triumph over all worldly power. 
Isaiah foresaw the time when swords would be beaten 
into ploughshares and spears into pruning-hooks, when 
nation would not lift up the sword against nation, neither 
would they learn war any more. Again he said, "They 
shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for 



the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as 
the waters cover the sea." 

' ''And the vseventh angel sounded and there were great 
voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are 
become the kmgdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and 
he shall reign forever and ever'' (Rev. 11:15). 

Christians are to work indirectly upon the nation. As 
the principles of the gospel gradually control our citi- 
zens the great evils will gradually pass away. Political 
parties may promise to regulate trusts, and may succeed 
to a certain extent, but pure Christianity believed in the 
heart and practiced in the life is the only means which 
will ever bring about a satisfactory solution of such ques- 
tions. 

The great strikes which have so disturbea the peace 
and prosperity of a large per cent, of our citizens would 
never have taken place, if all connected with them had 
been filled with the love of Christ which passeth knowl- 
edge. Until both rich and poor can be indviced to lay 
aside their selfishness and love each other's welfare, the 
conflict between labor and capital will continue. 

A glance at the situation will reveal the magnitude of 
the task before the American churches. If a sufficient 
number of our citizens are willing to fear God and work 
righteousness, the government will stand, but if infidelity 
and anarchy should increase to any great ext^t it will 
soon come to naught. Now is the time for all of God's 
people to put on the whole armor and strive together for 
the faith of the gospel. Let us make this nation Chris- 
tian in fact as well as in name. We are grateful to our 
forefathers for what they have done for us both in Church 
and state. Vv^ill we do as much for coming generations ? 
May American citizens, from the President down to the 
most humble, ever keep their eyes fixed upon the star of 
Bethlehem, which will shine brighter and brighter until 
the perfect day. 



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